Chapter 161: The Unexpected Letter

Chapter 161: The Unexpected Letter



As Rayne climbed up to the second floor, he noticed that two of the three bedrooms were suddenly empty, causing him to sigh.

If Lagra's departure was expected, as she had initially suggested, then Anna's sudden decision to leave caught him off guard. He had assumed she would stay for a considerable amount of time, but their separation had come unexpectedly.

Additionally, he was curious about Anna's sudden decision to leave.

Given his understanding of Anna, this didn't seem like a decision she would make, or at least, not so hastily.

Upon entering his bedroom, Rayne immediately spotted three neatly stacked items on his bedside table: a letter, a stack of papers, and a scroll made of animal hide.

Without hesitation, he picked up the letter and began reading.

"If you want to cause extreme glare to your enemies even on a clear day, it's not impossible."

Blazing Light lv1 (1/100)



To cast the magic 'Blazing Light,' one hand must be free, but currently, Rayne was accustomed to using two-handed weapons, whether it was Great Bear Swordsmanship or Tokkar Hammer Technique.

"Wait, if that's the case, then isn't Anna also an elf? But Anna's appearance..."

After about half an hour and seven or eight failed attempts, Rayne finally succeeded! A flame about twenty to thirty centimeters tall suddenly appeared above Rayne's right palm, burning fiercely and instantly illuminating the entire room.

Please allow me to retract my previous statement.

The last item, the scroll made of animal hide, caused Rayne's eyebrows to raise in surprise when he unrolled it. To his delight, it was a new magic, and it was the fire-based magic he had been searching for!

Previously, Rayne had discovered that the temperature inside the force field rose extremely quickly, similar to the combined effect of a microwave and an air fryer, capable of heating the air to a designated temperature in just a few seconds.

Rayne also touched the two basins of water, one meter and three meters away.

They were close to reaching boiling point.

It was like the sun in a child's drawing, with a circle of 360-degree short lines around the red sun, clearly representing the continuous emission of light.

Behind him, there was a horse carrying three or four packages, mostly containing daily necessities and food.

But if this happened in battle, it could be problematic, especially against evenly matched opponents.

So, Rayne knew that despite Anna's gentle and shy exterior, she was actually very determined and strong-willed.

However, there were a few minor issues with this magic that needed to be addressed before he could use it in combat and integrate it into his existing combat rhythm.

Soon, Rayne's figure disappeared at the end of the main road.

"I never expected her to be Anna's aunt!"

Entering the storeroom, Rayne's eyebrows furrowed. With a casting time like this, it would likely catch enemies off guard, especially with the 'Z' at the beginning.

Obviously, on a rainy day with overcast skies, the glare effect of 'Blazing Light' should be quite effective.

Rayne knew he needed to find a place to rest the horse for a while.

He carefully folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope, then picked up the stack of papers. At a glance, he recognized them.

According to the information he had previously seen, there were roughly three routes from Shangjin Town to Rosby City.

Rayne's eyes lit up as he recalled the routes from Shangjin Town to Rosby City.

The icon's border glowed slightly, and the image on the icon was a burning flame with multiple short lines around it, representing the emission of light.

"That's right! Miss Shadiya was very surprised to learn that you had become a Knight Apprentice!" Shadiya nodded.

Now was the perfect time to test it out.

Rayne had always had a good impression of Kraya.

For instance, during a weapon clash, both of them were knocked back simultaneously, and then, taking advantage of the opportunity, Rayne suddenly used 'Blazing Light,' which had a high chance of temporarily blinding his opponent.

Therefore, learning this new fire-based magic wasn't as challenging as the previous one.

The next morning, as the sky brightened, Rayne bid farewell to his family and set off on the strong black horse that had been 'enhanced' for seven days, heading towards Rosby City for the Enlistment Examination.

The feeling was similar to the end of the college entrance exam in his previous life, when good friends parted ways, promising to meet again, but knowing that by the time they did, a significant amount of time would have passed.

However, Rayne reconsidered and decided it would be better to keep a low profile during his journey to the Enlistment Examination.

"By the way, Rayne, is there anything you want me to pass on to Miss Shadiya?" Shadiya asked after seeing Rayne finish reading the letter.

The second minor issue to address was the appropriate scenarios for its use.

So, I have a letter of introduction to Master Gunther Otinger.

After a while, Rayne finally calmed his slightly melancholy mood.

When paired with a knight's sword and shield or sword and bow, the differences were quite significant.

Although water takes longer to heat up, the time it takes to heat up in the force field is not much different.

"After all, 3 skill points is not a small number. Whether it's added to Great Bear Swordsmanship or Tokkar Hammer Technique, it will greatly improve my abilities." Rain thought to himself.

The effect of this new magic is similar to the 'Flashbang' from his past life! At the same time, Rain already had some ideas about the application of this new magic.

He had seen Anna's efforts in learning the basics of meditation, as well as her persistence in treating Lagra.

"Mr. John, today I plan to buy two stronger horses, so I need your help in selecting them," Rain said with a smile.

Believe me! Master Gunther is definitely a master of exceptional swordsmanship.

Huh? Auntie?

The two horses rode slowly on the path, one after the other. The one in front, a stronger black horse, carried a knight in full plate armor. The knight was distinctive, carrying a greatsword and a two-handed warhammer on his back, a rare combination of dual weapons.

"Even...if I put all 5 remaining skill points into this new magic."

Fortunately, the knight's armor was lined with lambskin, providing excellent warmth. So, even in the ice rain, with the cold and wet surroundings, Rain didn't feel uncomfortable.

Of course, tearing up and blinking are natural protective mechanisms for the eyes, and there's nothing wrong with it.

At the same time, below the Apprentice Wizard (Elixir) panel, next to the High Temperature Field icon, there was a brand new icon.

However, if it's a sunny day, especially when the sun is glaring, the effect of the new magic 'Blazing Light' will be greatly reduced.

An hour later, Rain rode a black horse and led a brown horse back home.

Immediately, Rain carefully read through the beast hide scroll.

The second piece of paper was a letter from Kreyah to Master Gunther Otinger, introducing him to advanced studies.

(Note: Casting time is 3 seconds, and its power is proportional to the caster's Mental Energy.) One of the issues that needed to be addressed was the casting time. Three seconds was obviously too long.

"Blazing Light!" Rain softly spoke the name of the new magic.

Additionally, there was friction with Baron Alonso, although he hadn't made any moves recently.

If they were to take some detours on smaller roads to conceal their tracks, a carriage might not be the best option. Some of the smaller roads were a bit rough, and riding a horse would not only be more flexible and agile but also more suitable.

Experiment Subjects: Two almost equally strong black and brown horses.

Unlike the previous time when Rain came to learn horsemanship, this time he wanted to buy two stronger warhorses.

"Huh, this content is..."

Every second was torture for the enemy! Especially if the enemy was also wearing metal armor. In an instant, Rain pictured a multi-layered, large stainless steel steamer from his past life, filled with neatly arranged meat buns, and steam billowing out. Thinking of this, a brilliant smile appeared on Rain's face. For the next few days, Rain basically didn't leave the house.

Although Rain had expected it, he only glanced at it for a second or two with his eyes squinted, and they immediately started to tear up and blink uncontrollably.

Experiment Content: Research on the changes in muscle strength and endurance of horses after consuming the Mutagenic Growth Potion.

But 2.4 seconds was still too long.

After riding for five consecutive days, their destination, Rosby City, was already not far ahead.

After a moment of thought, Rain said, "Please tell Miss Kreyah that I appreciate her concern and support. I think I will find an appropriate time to visit Master Gunther."

Aside from occasionally training his Linti dog, Cookie, Rain spent most of his time practicing the transitions between magic, swordsmanship, and hammer technique.

At that moment, a system prompt appeared:

Don't forget about the warhorse beneath you, it can't withstand this high temperature.

At the same time, Rain also felt a slight pain in his retina.

Rain thought about his commonly used swordsmanship and hammer technique moves in conjunction with the new magic and found that there were indeed many compatible points.

Her face, which was clear and beautiful, must have been adorned with a shy and delighted smile.

Of course, for the best effect, it would be ideal to use it at night. It could instantly incapacitate an unsuspecting enemy, thus establishing dominance in the battle!

Of course, it would be best to further reduce the casting time. If it could be shortened to 1.5 seconds at the Advanced level, that would be ideal.

However, when Rain read the last sentence, 'I'll tell you a little secret, I can already visualize eight Will Runes at once,' he couldn't help but imagine Anna's expression as she wrote those words.

According to the experience with the magic 'Scorching Touch,' if 'Blazing Light' could be upgraded to level 3, the casting time should be reduced by about 20%, from 3 seconds to 2.4 seconds.

Finding a precious three-second gap in combat is too difficult. Compressing it to one second would be more feasible.

So, he decided to express his gratitude to Anna.

Indeed, Kreyah knew that she had reached the Elixir tier. Rain thought to himself.

Immediately, Rain began to think about which moves could be followed up with 'Blazing Light.' "After the Secret Technique 'Ascending Dragon Hammer,' there's a high probability of being able to follow up with the new magic 'Blazing Light.'"

Apparently, the Mutagenic Growth Potion not only works on dogs but also has a certain enhancement effect on all animals.

"Is the Druid's Ring located in Ferdinand Forest?" Rain asked himself, feeling like he was starting to understand why Anna had decided to go there.

Five days later, amidst the winter rain...

"The new magic should also be highly effective in dark and damp environments like mines," Rain thought to himself.

He had purchased two horses because a single horse couldn't bear the weight of his armor, equipment, and luggage.

Rain immediately associated the Druid's Ring with the beautiful elf who wanted to trade the Dark Mother Tree seeds. He guessed that the black-haired elf was most likely Anna's aunt.

"As my Mental Energy increases, the power of 'Blazing Light' will surely amplify. Once it crosses a certain brightness threshold, it should be able to reach a level where it can still blind enemies even in broad daylight," Rain mused.

The usually stern head maid smiled and said, "Rain, as per Miss Anna's instructions, I have a letter to deliver to you."

"I believe that now that you've entered the Apprentice stage, you'll understand this better."

Rain suddenly thought of a crucial point, but after stroking his chin and pondering for a while, he still couldn't figure out the reason.

He knew that if he kept staring at the bright flame, his retinas would be damaged soon enough.

Rain waved his right hand lightly, canceling the new magic, and crossed his arms as he pondered.

"If you can gain something from this, it will surely benefit you in passing the Enlistment Examination later on."

There were two sheets of paper inside.

"I have 5 skill points left. If I allocate 3 points to the magic 'Blazing Light', I should be able to achieve this goal."

[You have learned Blazing Light and your understanding of it has increased!]



Rain paced back and forth in his room, summarizing the applicable scenarios for the new magic.

Otherwise, it would be too unlikely for Shangjin Town to have two Druids within a short period.

During this time, Rain had given a portion of the Brutal Bear Meat to Cookie and had devoured the remaining dozens of pounds of meat himself!

One horse was for riding, and the other was for carrying luggage.

Blazing Light Level 1 Effect: Consumes a certain amount of Mental Energy to activate a specific Magic Model, drawing nearby fire elemental particles to form a blazing flame above the host's palm. The flame emits intense light for about ten seconds.

[Your skill Blazing Light has improved. Experience gained: +1]



Because a single blink might cause him to lose the initiative, and if he instinctively covered his eyes when faced with such intense light, he might be sent straight to the Goddess's embrace.

If the casting time was reduced to half of the original 3 seconds, it would be much more practical in combat.

The flame wasn't very large, resembling an enlarged flame, but it seemed to emit high heat and constantly transformed into light energy, giving off an exceptionally dazzling effect.

Rain reached this experimental conclusion.

Initially, Kraya had thought that he only had the potential to become a Follower.

[You have learned the new skill - Blazing Light]



Rain couldn't recall ever hearing about a forest named 'Ferdinand', and it was likely quite far from Master County.

"Rain, when I learned that you had entered the Apprentice stage, I couldn't imagine the expression on your face," Kraya said.

The reason she said 'roughly' was that the closer they got to Rosby City, the more side roads they would encounter.

So, on the afternoon of that day, under the warm winter sun, Rain arrived at the south side of Shangjin Town at John's Stable.

Rain suddenly remembered that he had wanted to test the effect of 'High Temperature Field' after increasing his Mental Energy by 3 points, but the arrival of the Crowleys' carriage had interrupted him.

But good talent also needed the guidance of a master.

After all, the conflicts between Rain and the Black Flame Cult had become irreconcilable. It wouldn't be wise to let them know his destination.

Soon, Rain met the middle-aged man with the wine-stained nose—John Moyler, the stable owner.

Rain quickly calculated in his mind while thinking.

If it was one second, there would be plenty of opportunities to use it in combat.

Read the error-free version at 69 Book Bar! 6=9+Book_Bar

In front of Shadiya, Rain quickly opened the letter.

John naturally had an impression of Rain.

A 1.5-second casting time? Rain nodded in satisfaction.

Rain had already mastered two fire magics, 'Scorching Touch' and 'High Temperature Field', and his Mental Energy had increased to 23 points.

As for why he didn't use the fire magic 'High Temperature Field' to dry the clothes...

Perhaps one day, you'll achieve greater things on the path of knighthood than I ever did.

The day before departure.

Rain immediately realized that the 'Beast Taming Diary', the Silver Book, must have been taken by Anna's aunt, the black-haired elf.

"I didn't expect to find nothing in the Wiggins family's library, but when I returned home, I gained a fire magic."

".After the Secret Technique 'Roar Strike', if the enemy can still withstand it, you can follow up with the new magic 'Blazing Light'."

The first sheet of paper read:

At the same time, based on the content of this letter, Kraya also expressed her goodwill towards him.

Rain focused his attention on the new icon, and beneath it, he noticed a line of small text.

At the end of the letter, there was a signature he knew well: Kraya.

The power was stronger than the last time, evidently showing a slight improvement!

"So, during daily practice, I need to consciously strengthen this aspect of training so that in combat, I can naturally and smoothly seize the opportunity to cast the magic 'Blazing Light.'"

"Hmm. A 1-second casting time."

The last minor issue to resolve was a matter of habit.

Additionally, Rain wanted to conduct a small comparison experiment.

The seal was intact, indicating that no one had opened it before him.

Apparently, if an enemy were to fight him within this Inferno Field, they would be at a significant disadvantage due to the temperature, which had already exceeded the scorching surface temperature of the Sahara Desert.

Rain wondered if this was Anna's gift or if the black-haired elf was thanking him for taking care of Anna. But these details didn't matter; what was important was that if it weren't for Anna, he wouldn't have gained this.

Experiment Conclusion: After seven days, no apparent visible mutations have been observed in the black horse, but it is estimated that the horse's muscle strength and endurance have increased by around 20%.

In a forest filled with hanging white icicles, there was a gray winding path leading towards the distant seaside.

At the same time, a thought crossed his mind.

Rain couldn't help but smile as he thought, "I look forward to your robust growth. But Anna, I'll also tell you a little secret. Actually, I can already visualize twenty Will Runes at once."

"I hope you can help me next time?"

Compared to the last time, Rain was delighted to see that the pot of water two meters away from him was emitting a faint white steam, indicating a temperature of around ninety degrees.

A burning light? After examining it several times, Rain discovered that the visualization difficulty of the new magic 'Blazing Light' was similar to that of 'Inferno Field', belonging to the same level.

Even if the enemy isn't blinded, it can still create a decent first-strike condition or some degree of advantage.

"Huh? Is this a letter from Kraya in the imperial capital?" Rain asked as he took the letter.

Experiment Process: Record the differences between the black horse, which was fed the mutagenic growth potion, and the brown horse, which wasn't, over seven days.

The knight in question was Rain.

Additionally, regarding transportation for the trip, Rain considered asking the Crowley Family to prepare a carriage with a noble crest, which would save him some checkpoint inspection troubles along the way.

Regarding Kraya's suggestion to introduce him to a secluded swordmaster, Rain didn't plan to decline. After all, Kraya was the one who had guided him in his early days as a knight.

If you're interested, you can go to him in seclusion in Rosby County's Golden Coast within three months to study under him.

That afternoon, Rain received an unexpected visitor—Shadiya, the head maid of the Habsburg Manor.

So, Rain placed three pots of water on the table, just like last time, at distances of one, two, and three meters from him.

However, Rain didn't feel any disappointment as he returned the item.

The water temperature in the pots rose from around forty to fifty degrees to sixty to seventy degrees, reaching a scalding level.

Half an hour later, Rain's face lit up with joy.

The rest was a matter of daily training and accumulation over time.

Apparently, the news of Rain's appointment as the Deputy Officer of Shangjin Town had reached John's Stable.

"Not so fast!"

Ten seconds later, Rain voluntarily stopped casting 'Inferno Field.'

At the Level 3 stage, it was 2.4 seconds, now it's 1.9 seconds.

After walking for about half an hour, even Rain's sturdy black warhorse was breathing heavily, and in the cold ice rain, two columns of gas rose from in front of the horse's head.

Rain stroked his chin, feeling a bit amazed!

Rain estimated that it would take at most half a day to reach his destination.

"So, next time we meet, I'll still be the one protecting you."

"Sir Rain, how come you have time to come here today?" John asked politely.

"Especially against enemies accustomed to dark and damp environments with limited light, I estimate that a single cast of 'Blazing Light' could directly blind their eyes."

Actually, it was his fault, because the weight of his two weapons alone exceeded the standard armor and weapon load of a knight! Moreover, Rain also had to add his chrome set, so even though the black horse was stronger, it was still an ordinary horse, and it was normal for it to tire.

Perhaps with continuous feeding of the mutagenic growth potion, there might be a chance for the black horse to exhibit some visible mutation. But it would require a period of feeding to see the results.

After passing through a forest path and turning a corner, Rain keenly heard the crisp sound of wood cracking in the fire.

Rain looked up and saw, through the white mist and ice rain, someone lighting a bonfire in the forest to his left.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end