Translator: CinderTL
[Momentum Slash Acquired, Current Level: Lv.1]
Roland gazed at the golden text that had just appeared before him, savoring the profound sensation of cutting through all things that he had experienced moments earlier.
"With such power, even the impenetrable scales of an Aberrant Kobold probably wouldn't stand a chance, would they?"
This thought sent a surge of irrepressible joy through Roland's heart.
He collapsed onto his back, his chest heaving violently. It took him a long time to regain his breathing rhythm.
When he finally managed to stand on his trembling legs, the lingering weakness from having all his strength instantly drained remained vivid in his memory.
"But at my current level..." Roland shook his head ruefully. "Without entering a state of focus, I probably can't even execute a complete Momentum Slash. And each time I use it, I'll be left in a brief period of weakness."
"It seems this combat technique can only be used as a last resort, not to be deployed lightly."
Despite this, Roland felt no regret or discouragement. Mastering this technique meant his strength had already reached a whole new level.
"Now, what I need to do is practice repeatedly, striving to master Momentum Slash without relying on the focus trait!"
With this determination, Roland dragged his slightly unsteady steps back to his dormitory.
As soon as his body touched the bed, he fell into a deep sleep, not even bothering to wash up.
The next morning, Roland went to the blacksmith shop as usual to complete the tasks Hawk had assigned him.
After lunch, he was about to go find Darco to ask about the Adventurer's Guild when the young noble showed up first.
"Hey, Roland!"
Despite his leg injury still healing, Darco was as radiant as ever.
The sunlight gilded his dazzling golden hair with a brilliant halo, making him shine from head to toe.
"Heh heh."
Seeing Darco's radiant smile, Roland's mood couldn't help but brighten.
"Your injury isn't healed yet. Why aren't you resting in bed?"
"Don't even mention it," Darco said, waving his hand dismissively. He squeezed into the room with familiar ease and plopped down on the edge of the bed. He tossed his oak cane aside, stretched languidly, and complained, "I've been cooped up for only a day, and I'm already starting to feel like I'm rotting. How about you?"
He then tilted his chin, pointing to the Combat Skill Scroll neatly rolled up on the table.
"How's your research on the Momentum Slash going?"
"Research?" Roland thought. "I've already mastered it."
Though he thought this, Roland didn't say it aloud.
After all, he had personally experienced the difficulty of learning the Momentum Slash.
His own ability to barely grasp it relied heavily on the assistance of the [Focus] trait.
So despite his good friendship with Darco, Roland chose to remain discreet.
It wasn't out of fear of jealousy, but because excessively remarkable talent often attracts unwanted attention.
This was different from his previous skills in forging and swordsmanship.
The combined difficulty of those two arts probably didn't even reach half that of the Momentum Slash.
Thus, Roland simply shook his head slightly and subtly changed the subject.
"You came at the perfect time," he said, taking out a new cup and filling it with water to hand to Darco. "I was just about to ask you for a favor."
"A favor? Of course! Just say the word—" Darco replied readily, but stopped mid-sentence.
As if remembering something, he scratched his head awkwardly and changed his tone. "Uh... maybe you should tell me what it is first?"
Though he noticed Darco's unusual hesitation, Roland didn't press the matter. He simply continued, "I want you to introduce me to some experienced veterans so I can learn combat techniques from them."
"Combat techniques?"
Darco's gaze unconsciously drifted to the iron sword in the corner.
"To be frank, Roland, your swordsmanship is already quite exceptional. Even my former fencing instructor probably couldn't match you."
"It's not swordsmanship," Roland replied calmly, pouring himself a glass of water and sitting down on a wooden chair. "It's skill with other weapons—short-bladed weapons like daggers, or long-handled weapons like spears and battle axes."
"This..." Darco looked puzzled.
According to his education, these weapons were primarily used on the battlefield.
He could understand the use of daggers for self-defense, but spears and battle axes?
Was Roland planning to join the military?
Despite his confusion, Darco clapped his chest heartily. "Leave it to me! I'll have the servants find a few experienced veterans right away."
Seeing Darco's prompt agreement, Roland finally relaxed.
He currently had only two options for learning combat skills.
The first was to leave the manor and seek training at the training grounds run by retired veterans.
However, this would require a significant financial investment and prolonged travel, which would be extremely time-consuming.
Second, Roland sought guidance from his close friends, Peyton and John.
But not everyone possessed a Job Panel like his, which allowed for rapid skill acquisition.
Peyton and John, though seasoned veterans, had limited energy.
One specialized in swordsmanship, the other in archery, and their knowledge of other weapons was superficial at best, far from sufficient to teach others.
With the matter of skill acquisition settled, Roland seized the opportunity to raise his second question.
"Darco, you mentioned the Adventurer's Guild earlier..."
"Ah, that!" Darco's mood visibly brightened at the prospect of being helpful. He tilted his head back and drained his cup of water in one gulp.
"But I only heard about it from the manor guards," he continued. "They say that several years ago, demonic beast disturbances became frequent across the land. Though lords like my father dispatched troops to quell them, their forces were limited, inevitably leaving some areas unguarded."
"Then, out of nowhere, this organization called the Adventurer's Guild suddenly appeared. They began posting bounties, recruiting idle mercenaries and adventurers to hunt down the demonic beasts."
At this point, Darco thoughtfully stroked his chin.
"I wonder who's really pulling the strings behind the Adventurer's Guild. Spending money to hire people to clear out demonic beasts must be a huge expense."
"When the Adventurer's Guild first started, many people laughed at them. Merchants even predicted they'd go bankrupt sooner or later."
"But who could have predicted that after all these years, the Adventurer's Guild wouldn't just disappear but would actually spread across the entire country? It's truly intriguing."
Roland wasn't particularly interested in why the Adventurer's Guild had survived so long or how it had spread so widely. He simply made a mental note of the information, nodded slightly, and continued his questioning.
"Darco, do you know where the Adventurer's Guild has branches within the Blackwater Territory?"
Though he didn't understand why Roland was suddenly asking about this, it was rare for anyone at the manor to chat with him so casually, like friends.
After a moment's thought, Darco enthusiastically held up two fingers.
"As far as I know, because the Blackwater Territory is so remote, there are only two Adventurer's Guild branches in the entire territory."
"One is Mist Creek Town, near the Black Cedar Forest, and the other is Pine Wood Town, not far east of the manor."
"Mist Creek Town... Pine Wood Town..."
Roland repeated the two place names under his breath, quickly making up his mind.
Though his strength had increased significantly after learning Momentum Slash, he was still no match for extraordinary beings like knights.
Mist Creek Town, bordering the Black Cedar Forest, remained embroiled in a stalemate despite the presence of Knight Beckham. This alone spoke volumes about its danger.
Roland only wanted to complete his warrior class advancement, not seek his own demise.
After a brief deliberation, he made his decision.
For the rest of the afternoon, Roland questioned Darco in detail about the area around Pine Wood Town. Fortunately, Darco was an avid hunting enthusiast who often took his guards on hunts near the manor, making him quite familiar with the nearby town.
Through their exchange, Roland quickly gained a basic understanding of Pine Wood Town as the sky outside gradually darkened.
"Alright, Roland," Darco said, his throat parched. He drained his cup of water and wiped the droplets from his chin.
"It's getting late. If I don't go back soon, my father will be furious."
The thought of Baron Forslin's enraged face sent a shiver down his spine.
"As for finding a veteran to teach you combat skills, don't worry. If all goes well, we should have it arranged in the next couple of days."
"Thank you, Darco."
"Hey! Friends don't need to be so formal!"
Darco stood up, leaning heavily on his oak cane, and clapped Roland heartily on the shoulder, a genuine smile lighting up his face.
After seeing Darco off, Roland closed the door and sat at the wooden table, lost in thought.
As the saying goes, "To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools."
Weapons were the least of his worries—he still had his iron sword.
But he couldn't possibly venture into battle against demonic beasts in these tattered rags.
Of course, he could ask Darco to help him get a suit of armor.
However, Baron Forslin's territory was limited, and fine armor was already scarce.
Moreover, the war in the Black Cedar Forest was intensifying, and frontline troops were already struggling to get enough equipment. How could they possibly spare any for him?
Even with Darco's influence, it was unlikely to make a difference.
After observing Baron Forslin for some time, Roland was certain that despite his extravagant lifestyle, the Baron never wavered on matters of importance. Otherwise, he wouldn't have continued to support Knight Beckham's campaign against the demonic beasts.
Moreover, the reward for saving Darco had already been fulfilled in the form of a combat technique. Baron Forslin wouldn't simply give away armor for no reason.
With this in mind, Roland began to ponder carefully.
"Mr. Hawk hasn't taught me anything about armor forging yet, and mineral resources are scarce these days..."
"But... perhaps I could sew a set of leather armor?"
"I'll ask Mr. Hawk about it tomorrow. If it proves too difficult, I'll have to consider other options."
Having made up his mind, Roland cleared his mind of all distractions. He picked up his iron sword, deactivated his Focus trait, and practiced the Momentum Slash repeatedly until he was utterly exhausted, finally collapsing into a deep sleep.
The next morning, as he was about to head to the blacksmith shop, Matthew brought news.
Bronson had returned.
However, the scholar looked to be in terrible condition.
(End of the Chapter)