Translator: CinderTL
Though Roland was eager to return to the manor, the consecutive days of wilderness exploration and combat had left him physically and mentally exhausted.
Setting out in this condition, he feared he wouldn't be able to handle any unexpected situations.
Moreover, it was already late. For safety's sake, Roland decided to rest for a day in Pine Wood Town and set out again at dawn the next morning.
Lying on the soft bed in the inn, Roland finally had time to open his Job Panel and examine it carefully.
When he noticed the changes in his attributes, he couldn't help but let out a soft "Huh?"
"My strength and agility have both increased by 0.2?"
After some thought, Roland began to understand.
The biggest difference between this battle against the Winged Kobold and his previous encounters with demonic beasts was that this time he had faced a creature with wings.
While he had encountered Bloodscale Kobolds in the village before, the two battles had been completely different.
In the previous fight, Peyton and John had primarily engaged the Bloodscale Kobolds, allowing Roland to deliver the finishing blow.
But against the Winged Kobold, with Theresa injured, he had borne at least 70% of the demonic beast's attacks alone—a true head-on confrontation.
"So it seems..."
Roland thoughtfully stroked his chin, a flash of understanding in his eyes.
"Compared to daily training, life-or-death combat in actual battles significantly boosts attribute growth."
As Roland's gaze slowly drifted downward, he noticed a striking exclamation mark had suddenly appeared next to the "Ecologist" bonus, which was triggered by adepts and hunters.
"This is... I've obtained an Ecological Note?"
As he muttered this to himself, the transparent panel before him abruptly transformed.
Three-dimensional models of a kobold and a goblin materialized out of thin air, vividly displayed before him.
Detailed text descriptions accompanied each model.
"Kobold: A subterranean, reptilian humanoid..."
Following this concise species introduction, a comprehensive list of the kobold's strengths and weaknesses was provided.
Most striking were the clearly marked weak points on the three-dimensional model, highlighted in bright red.
"This is..."
Roland shifted his gaze to the left.
The goblin's Ecological Note similarly featured a complete three-dimensional model, detailed descriptions, and a thorough analysis of its weaknesses.
He carefully compared the note's contents with the information he had gathered during actual combat, nodding slightly.
"The note's descriptions not only match what I observed in battle but are even more detailed. In other words..."
Roland's eyes lit up.
"If I could collect Ecological Notes on demonic beasts, I'd be able to deal with them more effectively next time. That's a really practical bonus!"
"Unfortunately, it took me killing at least a hundred goblins and dozens of kobolds before I triggered Ecological Notes for those two types of demonic beasts. It seems the trigger rate isn't very high."
Roland shook his head regretfully, exited the Ecological Notes, and reviewed his Job Panel one last time to confirm there were no other changes before closing it.
Lying on the soft bed, Roland's thoughts drifted back to the harrowing battle against the Winged Kobold, his brow furrowing.
While his current strength allowed him to defeat such aberrant demonic creatures alone, the process wasn't easy.
First, the battles often dragged on for a long time, consuming a great deal of stamina.
Second, his primary attack still relied on the combat technique Momentum Slash.
However, this move carried considerable risk.
If it landed successfully, it could severely wound or even kill the enemy.
But if he missed, the brief period of exhaustion left him vulnerable to the demonic beast's counterattack.
"And..."
Roland's expression grew even more serious as he considered the stark differences between the Bloodscale Kobold and the Winged Kobold.
"It seems Mr. Bronson was right," Roland mused. "As the Magic Element gradually revives, these demonic beasts are evolving, or rather, regaining their former peak strength."
"First the Blood-Colored Goblins who can cast spells, now Winged Kobolds... This suggests these mutated demonic creatures aren't isolated incidents. As time passes, we'll likely see more and more powerful aberrant demonic creatures like these."
Roland clenched his fists, his resolve hardening.
"I must increase my strength as quickly as possible!"
"The only remaining requirements to become a warrior are a max-level combat skill and the necessary attribute thresholds. Once I return to the manor, I can slowly achieve those through the Combat Readiness trait and daily training. It'll just take more time."
"In addition, I need to intensify my equestrian skill practice to see what new jobs and bonuses I can unlock. And I mustn't neglect my plans to learn tricks and that mysterious script from Mr. Bronson."
"I wonder how the research on those spell patterns is progressing..."
As his thoughts swirled, Roland's eyelids grew heavy.
Unconsciously, his breathing deepened, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Roland awoke.
He swiftly rolled out of bed, quickly washed up, and headed downstairs for a simple breakfast of a few copper coins. Then, he mounted Black Wind and galloped toward the manor.
The journey was silent. By noon, the familiar silhouette of the manor finally came into view.
Seeing this, Roland's tense nerves finally relaxed completely.
He gently reined in Black Wind, slowing his pace. After undergoing the guards' routine inspection, he was granted entry to the manor.
After stabling Black Wind in the stable yard, Roland first went to the blacksmith shop to reassure Hawk. Then, he hurried to the secluded wooden cabin.
But this time, as he reached the door, before he could even raise his hand to knock, the weathered wooden door creaked open from within.
Bronson's face, even thinner than usual, emerged. His sunken eye sockets blazed with a feverish intensity.
"Ha! Roland!"
He waved his gaunt arm excitedly.
"I knew it was you from your footsteps! When did you get back?"
Without waiting for an answer, he stepped aside, gesturing impatiently.
"Come in! I've made a major breakthrough in my research!"
Roland was accustomed to Bronson's occasional bouts of madness, so he didn't say much.
The moment Roland stepped inside, Bronson's incessant chatter filled the air.
"I made some minor adjustments to the spell pattern, and guess what? The rate of Magic Element absorption has increased threefold! Of course, the storage capacity has decreased as a result, but it's completely worth it!"
Ignoring Bronson's animated gestures, Roland cautiously scanned the room.
Once he confirmed their safety, he slammed the door shut behind him and swept the scattered parchment from the table with a decisive swipe.
"No! Roland!"
Bronson clutched his head and let out a dramatic wail.
"That was all my hard work! How could you..."
His complaint was cut short as Roland unfastened the leather pouch at his waist.
Thump!
With a soft thud, the pouch lay open on the table, revealing a mysterious bone fragment, its surface as white and lustrous as jade.
"This is..."
Though he hadn't touched it yet, as a scholar who had studied at the High Tower, Bronson immediately sensed the extraordinary aura emanating from the bone.
"Do you remember the giant creature's skeleton I mentioned earlier, the one the Blazing Sun Church and the goblins were fighting over in the forest?"
"You mean..."
"Exactly. Based on my deductions..."
Roland had been traveling non-stop, without a moment's rest.
Feeling his throat grow dry, he unslung his water flask and tilted his head back to take a long, satisfying drink.
Wiping away the water droplets from his chin, Roland finally exhaled deeply and spoke slowly.
"This bone fragment is likely part of the giant creature's remains."
"I..."
Bronson's Adam's apple bobbed nervously, his voice slightly hoarse with excitement.
"May I examine it closely?"
"Please, be my guest."
Roland leaned back wearily in his wooden chair, trying to shake off the fatigue of the journey.
"In fact, I was hoping to enlist Mr. Bronson's expertise in authenticating this bone fragment's true origins."
With permission granted, Bronson immediately stepped forward, completely disregarding the parchment scattered across the floor—what he considered his precious research materials.
He carefully lifted the bone fragment, its surface a stark white, and held it up to his eyes, studying it with intense concentration.
The wooden cabin fell silent.
After a moment, Bronson suddenly began trembling with excitement, his voice rising uncontrollably.
"This bone fragment... it actually..."
Noticing Roland's raised index finger pressed against his lips, the slightly unhinged scholar abruptly lowered his voice, though the fervor in his eyes remained undiminished.
"It contains Magic Element!"
Roland, having already anticipated this, remained unfazed. He simply asked calmly, "Similar to the spell patterns you've been studying, or perhaps like Magic Power Solidification Crystals?"
"No, no, not quite the same."
Bronson turned the bone fragment over and over in his hands, examining it repeatedly.
"As I mentioned before, Magic Crystals are found only within demonic beasts and are pure, single-use consumables. While my spell patterns can continuously draw magic from the environment, their effectiveness diminishes significantly without a suitable carrier."
Bronson suddenly closed his eyes, his fingertips slowly tracing the rough texture of the bone. After a moment, he opened his eyes, his face etched with disbelief.
"But this bone... the purity of the Magic Element it has absorbed surpasses even my spell patterns."
"And despite containing such a high concentration of Magic Element, the bone shows no signs of damage whatsoever."
Realizing this, Bronson muttered to himself, his voice a mixture of shock and resentment.
"How could this be possible? A mere fragment of a creature's remains surpassing my spell patterns, which I've spent years studying?"
Hearing this, Roland's eyes flashed with sharp intelligence, ignoring Bronson's self-pity.
He stood up and walked forward, tapping the bone lightly with his fingertip.
Dong!
A deep, resonant sound echoed through the chamber. Roland licked his dry lips, his voice barely concealing his excitement.
"Mr. Bronson, perhaps... we could try inscribing spell patterns onto this bone. What do you think?"
(End of the Chapter)