Translator: CinderTL
Deep within a secluded forest, towering ancient trees lay half-severed, their massive trunks scattered across the ground. The once-solid earth was now crisscrossed with spiderweb-like cracks, pockmarked with craters of varying sizes.
From above, the lush green canopy had been torn open, revealing a vast clearing where a fierce battle had raged.
At the edge of the clearing, Roland shook the blood from his Mithril Longsword, then plunged the gleaming blade deep into the earth.
"Huu..."
He exhaled deeply, gazing at the Bear Goblin's corpse still oozing blood.
"No wonder some mercenaries and adventurers, even after completing countless quests and earning fortunes beyond the wildest dreams of commoners, still end up barely breaking even."
Roland lowered his head to examine his nearly shattered fine iron round shield, shaking his head gently.
"The cost of repairing or replacing weapons after each battle alone probably eats up most of their earnings, not to mention other expenses during missions."
Due to the River Domain Nations' relative scarcity of mineral resources, even this ordinary fine iron round shield cost dozens of silver coins.
Without Colin's financial backing, Roland would never have been able to fight so "luxuriously."
"As the Magic Element revives, the enemies we face will only grow stronger," Roland mused. "When we return to the capital this time, I need to find a way to acquire weapons and equipment of the same quality as the Mithril Longsword. If our weapons break during combat, it could prove fatal."
Lost in thought, Theresa finished examining the Bear Goblin's corpse and walked slowly toward Roland. Her voice was grave.
"Mr. Roland, this Bear Goblin, like the previous two, also has Crystal Clusters inside it. And the number has clearly increased."
"I understand," Roland replied, his brow furrowing as he stared at the corpse.
A month had passed since they first encountered these creatures. During that time, they had stuck to their established strategy. Theresa and Avril gathered intelligence, while the four of them worked together to formulate meticulous battle plans.
Though the subsequent two battles were equally intense, their prior experience and well-honed teamwork allowed them to survive both encounters with only minor injuries.
However, the course of these two battles differed drastically from the first.
The first Bear Goblin had been cunning and cautious, even attempting to retreat when it realized the tide had turned against it—its intelligence rivaling that of humans.
In contrast, the two that followed behaved more like ordinary, low-intelligence demonic beasts.
Fierce and frenzied, they charged at Roland and his companions the moment they were spotted, their attacks chaotic and relying solely on brute physical strength.
Though slightly stronger and faster than the first, their primitive fighting style left them vulnerable. Roland and his companions quickly exploited these weaknesses, ending each battle with a single, decisive blow.
As a result, these two encounters proved far easier than the first.
"Could it be the influence of those Crystal Clusters?" Roland mused, recalling the Bear Goblins' near-maniacal attacks.
"Roland!"
Just then, a clear voice called out from behind him.
Before Roland could turn, Avril had already flitted to his side like a gentle breeze.
Amidst the dappled shadows of the trees, the elf girl's short brown hair shimmered softly, swaying slightly with her movements.
"So, what did you think of my shot just now?"
Avril playfully mimed drawing a bow, her lips mimicking the sound of an arrow piercing the air.
"Whoosh! Right through the monster's right eye!"
"Excellent work, Avril."
Roland, gazing at the arrow still quivering in the Bear Goblin's right eye, offered his praise without hesitation.
But a subtle flicker of doubt crossed his gaze.
Over the past month, the two Bear Goblins they had slain shared a peculiar trait: their lairs should have been surrounded by other demonic beasts.
Yet each time Avril scouted the area, she reported, "No other demonic beasts nearby."
This contradicted Roland's previous experience.
During the mission to slay a hundred hostile creatures using the breathing technique, he had clearly observed that the demonic beasts of the River Domain Nations were fiercely territorial. Even against a formidable foe like the Bear Goblin, these lesser demonic beasts should have fought to the death to defend their territory.
However, when they arrived at the scene, not only was Avril's report confirmed—no other demonic beasts were present—but there wasn't even a trace of a struggle.
"Could this also be an arrangement by the Church of Truth? Or perhaps..."
Roland's gaze unconsciously fell on the elf girl, who was beaming with joy at the praise she had received. A sudden thought flashed through his mind.
"Did Avril clear out the demonic beasts in advance?"
As he pondered this, a clear neighing shattered the forest's silence.
Galvis gently strummed his harp, and to the accompaniment of the melodious music, he slowly drove his horse-drawn carriage before them.
The bard spread his arms wide, as if reciting an epic poem.
"Ah! Let us sing the praises of this warrior whose sword gleams like moonlight! The fleeting glimpse of his swordplay just now would make even the Ancient Elven Tree tremble and cause even a giant dragon to retract its arrogant claws!"
"My dear hero, every sword mark you leave deserves to be immortalized in a sonnet, every step you take should be recorded by the golden ratio..."
"Alright, Galvis."
Roland sighed, shaking his head as he cut off the bard's increasingly exaggerated praise. He swiftly drew his Mithril Longsword from the ground, turned, and with a single stroke severed the Bear Goblin's head, tossing it casually into the pouch he carried.
"Tsk."
Seeing Roland's complete lack of reaction to his performance, Galvis reluctantly lowered his arms and pouted.
"By the way, Roland, what do we do next?"
"Head back to the capital."
Roland gestured for Theresa and Avril to remain vigilant as he tossed the bag filled with loot onto the carriage.
"Already? But..."
The bard pulled out a slightly yellowed notebook from his pocket and flipped through the pages with a regretful sigh.
"I'm still missing the final verse of my 'Demon-Slaying Aria'."
"Just make one up," Roland suggested.
"Hey! Roland!" Galvis snapped the notebook shut in annoyance. "I'm not like those third-rate bards! My stories must be based on real events, with only a touch of artistic embellishment."
"A touch... of artistic embellishment?" Roland's lips twitched slightly.
He'd once caught a glimpse of Galvis's "Epic of Heroes," which was based on Roland himself. If he hadn't known his own limitations, he might have almost believed he was truly some destined savior of the world.
"Alright, Galvis," Roland said. "The other Bear Goblin has already been dealt with by the local guards. There's no need to waste time hunting ordinary demonic beasts."
Roland gestured for Theresa and Avril to board the carriage.
"First, we'll head to the nearby town to hand over the quest. After resting, we'll set off for the capital."
"Alright."
Seeing Roland's resolve, Galvis sighed and cracked his whip.
Soon, the carriage rumbled away from the desolate clearing.
Sitting in the jolting carriage, Roland's heart surged with excitement at the thought of the combat techniques he would receive from the Adventurer's Guild.
But what truly stirred his soul was:
[Detection complete. Host has mastered a Knight's Breathing Technique. Advanced Class: Apprentice Knight unlocked.]
[Requirements: Strength 20, Agility 18, Spirit 12, Lv.3 Knight's Breathing Technique (any), 1/1 Max-Level Basic Horsemanship, 5/5 Max-Level Short-Handled Weapon Combat Skill, 5/5 Max-Level Long-Handled Weapon Combat Skill, 3/3 Max-Level Ranged Weapon Combat Skill, 1/1 Max-Level Shield Blocking/Defense Skill, Kill 100/100 hostile creatures using a breathing technique, Command a squad of three or more adventurers to defeat a hostile target stronger than yourself in combat 3/3 times.]
[Would you like to take the class?]
(End of the Chapter)
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