Translator: CinderTL
"I've been thinking about this for a long time," Gondar said, slowly unrolling the parchment scroll on the wooden table.
His heavy, black armor made faint metallic clinking sounds with his movements.
"Although your current strength has surpassed the limits of mortals and entered the Transcendent Realm..."
He paused, a hint of approval in his eyes.
"To be honest, at your age, I doubt I was even half as strong as you are now."
Roland wasn't surprised that Gondar had seen through his strength. After their intense battle, it was only natural for a Transcendent Knight to accurately assess his abilities.
So he remained focused, his gaze fixed on the parchment scroll as it gradually unfolded.
Seeing Roland remain unmoved by his praise, Gondar's eyes flickered with admiration. He continued, "However, most of the combat techniques I've mastered are beyond your current capabilities. Or rather, even if you were to force yourself to learn them, their effectiveness would be severely diminished."
Gondar's fingers gently traced the edge of the scroll.
"And the remaining techniques offer limited benefit for your current strength, so..."
As the scroll fully unfurled, Roland saw three large, elegantly written characters:
Arc Moon Draw.
"After careful consideration, I've decided to teach you this combat technique called Arc Moon Draw. As for its effects..."
Gondar tilted his head slightly, his gaze lingering on Roland with a meaningful expression.
"I believe you've already experienced them firsthand during our battle just now."
Experienced them already?
Roland frowned, recalling the fight.
Throughout the encounter, Gondar had remained on the defensive, employing only the most basic sword techniques.
Roland quickly identified the moment Gondar had used the technique.
It was the instant before Roland's Momentum Slash, enhanced by Battle Frenzy, was about to strike Gondar.
That mysterious force that had pulled his weapon off course, ultimately leading to his failure.
As he thought about it, the scene became clearer in Roland's mind.
The subtle twist of the wrist, the swirling vortex of air...
He was absolutely certain that Gondar hadn't increased the strength he used when performing the Arc Moon Draw. In fact, it was even slightly less than the strength he'd used to block the attack.
This meant that if Roland could master this combat technique, he'd have a chance to counter even opponents far stronger than him.
Moreover...
"The reason I was sent flying wasn't entirely due to the vortex itself," Roland realized. "It was because my weapon touched the vortex, throwing me off balance. The force of my own Momentum Slash then backfired, sending me flying."
"If the Arc Moon Draw can create such an effect, wouldn't it be like using a feather to move a mountain?"
Seeing the look of understanding on Roland's face, Gondar chuckled and pushed the open scroll toward him.
"It seems you've figured it out. This combat technique, called the Arc Moon Draw, was created during my time serving in the Border Legion to counter physically powerful orcs. Its effectiveness exceeded all expectations."
A nostalgic glimmer flickered in Gondar's eyes.
"At that time, I hadn't fully mastered the Knight's Breathing Technique, so this combat technique is perfectly suited for you."
Hadn't fully mastered the Knight's Breathing Technique.
Created a combat technique on my own to counter enemies, with unexpectedly good results.
Hearing these words, Roland's expression toward Gondar became somewhat strange. If he didn't know the knight's true identity, he might have thought the man was deliberately showing off.
"Alright," Gondar said, clearing his throat as he noticed the look in Roland's eyes. He then gently patted Roland's shoulder. "With your talent, I doubt you'll need much guidance from me. You should be able to master it through self-study. But before that, there's something else I need to discuss."
"Please, Lord Gondar," Roland replied, forcing himself to tear his gaze away from the scroll, even though he was burning with curiosity about the Arc Moon Draw combat technique.
But Gondar's next words left him slightly stunned.
"Roland, are you interested in serving in the Border Legion?"
The Border Legion?
The term was not unfamiliar to Roland.
John, a friend who served as a guard at the manor, had previously served in the Border Legion.
The two often chatted, so Roland had learned a great deal about the matter.
The Golden Valley Kingdom, surrounded by enemies on three sides, had established three major Border Legions to guard its borders.
Despite the harsh living conditions and daily combat, countless people still flocked to serve in the Border Legions, including even the sons of nobles.
The reason was simple: to earn military merit!
In the Golden Valley Kingdom, this was the most direct, effective, and indisputable path to nobility.
For example, the Blackwater Territory had been granted to Baron Forslin as a reward for his military achievements. Without such merit, a fallen noble like him would never have been able to claim such a remote, barren, and desolate territory.
However, joining the Border Legion wasn't without its hurdles.
Commoners like Roland needed a specific introduction and had to undergo a lengthy series of trials and selections. John, speaking from personal experience, had warned him that these processes had been thoroughly infiltrated by noble factions, riddled with corruption like a sieve.
Even commoner soldiers with exceptional skills often faced malicious harassment during training or were assigned to the most dangerous front-line positions as cannon fodder.
Moreover, their achievements were easily claimed or shared by privileged noble scions.
John himself had nearly died during a reconnaissance mission that should have been handled by noble youths.
All because he had offended the son of a minor noble.
It was these deeply entrenched and blatant injustices that prevented Roland from immediately pursuing the Knight's Breathing Technique after learning about them from John.
However, from Gondar's words, it seemed he could bypass these cumbersome steps and directly enlist in the Border Legion.
Moreover, he would even hold a relatively high rank.
This was undoubtedly good news.
While his heart leaped with joy, Roland unconsciously stroked his smooth chin, his brow furrowing.
In the Golden Valley Kingdom, obtaining a noble title granted one the right to learn the Knight's Breathing Technique.
And this was precisely what he craved most urgently at the moment.
But this path to advancement was far from as smooth as it appeared.
Take Baron Forslin, for example. He had served in the Border Legion for over a decade before earning his title, and even then, it was thanks to the lingering influence of his noble bloodline.
Many others, like John, who had served alongside Forslin, remained mere manor guards to this day.
Roland knew that with his current strength and Gondar's protection, his accumulation of military merit would far surpass Forslin's. But how long would it take?
Eight years?
Five years?
Even if it took only three years, he couldn't afford to wait.
Memories of his experiences since his transmigration flooded his mind, causing him to shake his head almost imperceptibly.
"Now that the Magic Element is quietly reviving and demonic beasts are showing signs of rising, even if I were to be knighted and enter the Knight Academy within three years, mastering the breathing technique would still take a long time."
"And how much longer would it take to truly become a transcendent professional?"
This wasn't Roland's imagination running wild.
Though he lacked complete information, witnessing the awe-inspiring power of a transcendent professional knight like Gondar had convinced him.
Cultivating the Knight's Breathing Technique was no simple feat.
Considering this, it would take a minimum of five to ten years to progress from being knighted to becoming a transcendent professional.
By then, with the gradual resurgence of the Magic Element, what would the world even look like?
"No need to answer immediately."
Gondar saw the hesitation in Roland's brow and gently placed a broad hand on his shoulder.
The renowned knight then produced a silver-glowing badge from his waist pouch and placed it on the wooden table.
In the sunlight, the surface of the winged silver badge shimmered with a cold, ethereal glow.
"Once you've made up your mind, bring this badge to the capital and find me."
Gondar's voice was as steady as stone.
"Even if I'm not in the capital, simply hand this badge to an official at the Recruitment Office. They'll know what to do."
With that, Gondar brushed past Roland.
As he was about to leave, he suddenly turned back.
"By the way, it's best if you stay here tonight to rest and recover. Don't go wandering around."
(End of the Chapter)
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Translator's Corner
πSorry for the delayed chapters. Had a technical issue. To read ahead please go to the site. It is always updated first.
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