Chapter 170: A Friendly Spar (Part 1)
Chapter 170: A Friendly Spar (Part 1)
Viscount Norman and his wife were also observing the sparring match between the two individuals in the central training ground from the second floor of the luxurious mansion.
"I've always thought that Salem would be a perfect match for Evelyn, but it seems that she prefers this new acquaintance, Rayne," said the Viscount.
"Dear, you said that Evelyn's new friend is very powerful and can defeat Salem, the second son of Baron Zeman?" asked a well-dressed noblewoman, tilting her head.
"If Evelyn is telling the truth, then there's no doubt that her friend will win," replied a middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed goatee, nodding his head.
This man was none other than Evelyn's father, Viscount Norman.
After hearing about Rayne's performance in the Enlistment Examination from his daughter, he became quite interested in the young man.
He knew that in this world, with sufficient strength, honor, status, and wealth would follow. These were merely additional perks.
Rayne seemed to have something on his mind as he lifted his dark Pig-headed Hammer and asked, "Lord Salem, do you want to switch to training weapons?"
"No need. Training weapons won't be able to withstand our clash. Lord Rayne, let's use our preferred weapons," Salem shook his head.
"Alright!" Rayne nodded, not saying much.
Salem was stating a fact, as both he and Evelyn had used their own weapons during their previous sparring session.
Once a knight reaches the level of a Master Knight, they become very familiar with their weapons and combat techniques. Therefore, unless it's a battle of secret techniques, they can usually control the fight with ease.
Even if they get injured, the wounds are relatively minor.
Soon, Rayne and Salem engaged in combat.
"Breaking Limits!"
After both of them entered the state of Breaking Limits, their movements became incredibly swift and agile. Rayne wielded a pair of hammers, utilizing the Tokkarkar Hammer Technique, while Salem fought with a sword and shield, indicating that his family's combat style was sword and shield-oriented.
"Bang!"
"Ding, ding, dang!"
The clashing of weapons echoed continuously, causing the nearby servants to cover their ears in pain.
However, after watching for a while, Evelyn's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
It was clear that Rayne wasn't fighting too strong, but rather too weak! One could say that Rayne's current display of strength was completely different from his performance during the Enlistment Examination when he had destroyed a ship with a single strike.
What was Rayne doing? Was he intentionally holding back? Or was he testing Salem's strength first?
Or was he going easy on Salem because he was a friend of Evelyn's? At this moment, the female knight beside Evelyn was also puzzled. She turned to ask, "Evelyn, you said that Lord Rayne is incredibly powerful, but now I feel that he's on the same level as you and Salem."
Hearing the female knight's comment, the others nearby also voiced their opinions.
"Yes, Anise is right."
"Lord Rayne's strength is indeed among the top of his peers, but whether it's you, Evelyn, or Salem, you're all at the same level. It's not as exaggerated as you described," said one of them.
"Evelyn, from what I see, the claim that Lord Rayne is the top candidate in the Enlistment Examination doesn't seem very credible," said another.
"That's right! Even though I'm not his match, I can confidently say that his strength still falls short of Bridger Sanchez from Done County," Osby agreed, his eyes flashing with determination.
Facing the doubts of her companions, Evelyn didn't know how to respond for a moment. She silently watched the sparring match between Rayne and Salem.
At this time, Rayne was carefully controlling the extent of his Breaking Limits.
Knights who could surpass the 60% limit of their physical Breaking Limits were known as Master Knights.
However, upon further thought, it became clear that a 70% limit was also considered a Master Knight, but it was obviously stronger than 60%. Reaching 80% was even more impressive, yet it was still called a Master Knight.
Thus, although they were both Master Knights, the difference in their abilities was significant.
For instance, Rayne could sense that his opponent, Salem, the second son of a count, had a Breaking Limits level of around 65%. He was indeed a Master Knight, but compared to Rayne's 73%, he was slightly weaker.
Additionally, Rayne's heightened spiritual sense allowed him to perceive details even during high-speed combat.
Therefore, Rayne wasn't fighting at full strength. He was controlling his Breaking Limits to around 60%, enough to match Salem in combat.
As for why he didn't end the fight quickly, it was because he wanted to gain experience for the Tokkarkar Hammer Technique! His previous combat experiences had taught him that longer and more intense battles yielded higher system experience rewards than shorter ones.
Of course, fighting against opponents who were clearly weaker didn't increase the system experience reward, no matter how long the battle lasted.
Rayne and Lagray's previous sparring, a Senior Knight versus a Knight Cadet, was a close match, with only a few experience points gained.
Therefore, Rayne couldn't simply defeat Salem with a few powerful strikes, as it wouldn't align with maximizing experience gain.
Unaware of Rayne's intentional restraint, Salem, on the other hand, grew more confident with each passing moment of the fight.
At the beginning of the fight, Salem was cautious, even a bit restrained. But after about a minute, he felt he had a good grasp of Rayne's strength.
How strong was Rayne?
Strong, but not as strong as Evelyn had claimed.
Was Rayne holding back?
Impossible!
Did he have a hidden ace up his sleeve?
Salem observed Rayne for a moment, noticing his composed expression, and inwardly nodded. He believed Rayne had a secret technique yet to be unveiled.
But wasn't Salem in the same situation?
After their hammers collided with a loud "Bang," both of them retreated several meters before standing firm.
Salem, full of vigor, exclaimed, "Knight Rayne, it's exhilarating to face a worthy opponent! Allow me to fight without restraint. I'll use my Extraordinary Trait and Secret Technique in the upcoming battle."
"Please don't hold back yourself either."
Rayne raised an eyebrow, observing the spirited Salem before him.
This 'Experience NPC' is getting a bit arrogant, isn't he?
If he didn't hold back, his life would likely have been in danger.
But upon further thought, Rayne considered that an 'Experience NPC' creating as much experience as possible for him with such dedication was not wrong.
On the contrary, this attitude deserved praise!
Fine, he would match Salem's strength until the latter exhausted his stamina.
Moreover, this was one of the best ways to maximize experience gain.
So, after a moment's thought, Rayne smiled and said, "Of course! Please go ahead, Knight Salem."
"Knight Rayne, be careful!"
"Agility!"
In the next second, at Salem's shout, his speed abruptly increased by two to three times. He dashed forward, leaving a trail of afterimages like an arrow released from a bowstring.
An agility-type Extraordinary Trait!
Impressive!
Rayne immediately raised his 'Breaking Limits' to its maximum level.
With Rayne's strength, agility, and stamina increasing from 60% to 73%, the gap in agility between him and Salem, who had activated the Extraordinary Trait 'Agility,' wasn't too significant.
On the other hand, Rayne's high spirit and keen attention to combat details gave him an edge over Salem. Thus, the two factors balanced each other out, allowing Rayne to handle the situation smoothly.
"Bang! Bang!"
"Clang!!"
Their weapons clashed at an even faster pace than before, sparks flying everywhere! The servants couldn't bear it and scattered to a safe distance.
Salem's near-full-power attack excited the young onlookers.
"Salem is getting serious!"
"It's about time to show this outsider the strength of the young people of Rosby City."
"Yes, the Zeman Family's secret technique, 'Phantom Strike,' should appear soon." Osby also watched the center of the arena with anticipation.
However, Evelyn was filled with doubt. Could this be Rayne's true strength? Impossible!
Even without using his Wizard Apprentice abilities, Rayne shouldn't be this weak.
Baroness Norman, watching from above, also frowned slightly.
Hmm? This is somewhat different from what her daughter had described.
At this moment, Rayne's strength seemed on par with Salem's.
Suddenly, the battle in the center of the arena took a sharp turn. Rayne's pupils contracted as he noticed Salem's right-hand Knight's Longsword retract slightly. Then, with a speed almost imperceptible to the naked eye, it lunged forward with incredible swiftness.
The attack was so fast that Salem's elbow remained in its original position, but the real strike had already reached Rayne's front.
It seemed that every young person who achieved an excellent evaluation in the Enlistment Examination had a secret technique or two.
At this moment, it was too late for Rayne to block the attack with his heavy Pig-headed Hammer.
However, this wasn't a problem for Rayne, who hadn't yet used his two Extraordinary Traits.
Suddenly, Rayne released his grip on the hammer and instead reached out to grab Salem's Knight's Longsword with his bare hands.
This move stunned the onlookers. Was he giving up his hands?
Simultaneously, Rayne's body swelled, his muscles bulging like a beast's.
But no matter how strong the muscles were, a flesh-and-blood body couldn't withstand the attack of a Peak Knight wielding a weapon. The crowd thought.
"Sizzle!!!"
Sparks flew as Salem's Knight's Longsword was forcefully stopped by Rayne's bare hands.
"It's really stopped?" A female Knight beside them covered her mouth in surprise.
The others exchanged glances, witnessing for the first time Salem's secret technique, 'Phantom Strike,' being countered by his opponent.
He actually dared to grab the knight's longsword with his bare hands while it was being used to perform a 'Phantom Strike.'
Heavens!
"I don't believe Rayne's hand could come out unscathed; it must be broken, and he's just forcing himself to continue!" Osby blurted out involuntarily.
"Snap!" Rayne's chromium iron glove broke apart and fell to the ground.
Everyone's gaze focused on Rayne's hand.
Unscathed!
Not a single drop of blood.
Perhaps, there was just a faint white mark.
"How... how is this possible!" Osby pointed at the scene, his face full of disbelief!
The others were also stunned speechless!
Evelyn, however, nodded slightly.
This is right!
This matches the strength I remember him tohave.
Rayne then pushedwithallhismight, forcingSalem'sknightlongswordaside, and said:
"Excellent secret technique, Sir Salem, please continue!"
After continuously using 'Limit Break,' his Extraordinary Ability—Swiftness, and finally the ultimate move 'Phantom Strike,' Salem was now drenched in sweat, his stamina nearlyexhausted.
He had intendedto clinchthevictorywiththatmove, butneverexpectedRaynetoshatterhisattackin suchanunpredictablemanner.
"Hmm?"
HearingRayne'swords, Salem'sface flushed. Thus, gathering his last bit of energy, he continued to fight.
However, this time, Salem faredramaticallyworse, collapsing fromexhaustionwithinseconds.
This couldn't help but make Rayne shake his head slightly.
The 'Experience NPC' before him has done his best; it's time to end this!
However, out show respect for Salem's 'effort,' Rayne plans to conclude the battle with a 'Earth-shattering Hammer.'
Rayne's physique swelled up, exceeding 2.2 meters, with his chromium iron knight armor hanging on him like infantwear, this was the state after releasing 'Power Surge' and entering the 'Tri-State Transformation.'
This instantly made Evelyn's pupils constrict!
That's right!
This is the form he was in when he shattered the 'Sunken Ship' that night!
"Rayne, don't use lethal force!" Evelyn called out from the side.
She wanted to come tothegiven'said, but it was too late!
From the second floor, Baron Norman's expression also changed drastically, but the distance to the training ground was too far for him to intervene effectively.
Thus, under the stunned gazes ofthe crowd, the giant-like Rayne, wielding a large black hammer, swung it from above, tearing through the air with a whistling sound, it struck the ground in front of Salem, creating a crater-like impact zone.
Salem closed his eyes, thinking it wasOver!
"Boom!"
However, in the next moment, Rayne slightly angled the hammer, striking the ground in front of Salem.
Dust and debris flew up to seven to eight meters, and after a few seconds, the training ground revealed a crater-like depression, with the deepest point reaching over a meter, spreading in a fan shape.
Only after four to five meters, the ground regained its evenness.
As for the originally confident Salem, who believed he could defeat Rayne, he was now thrown high into the air, spitting a large mouthful of blood.
This was even with Rayne deliberately avoiding direct hits, aiming for the ground instead.
"Thud!"
Salem hitthegroundhard, struggling to rise, but quickly getting back up, knowing he truly smelled death that instant!
If Rayne's hammerhadMovedhalf aMeterforward, he would be dead!
Being struck by Rayne'shammer would likely result in fatal injuries.
At this moment, the onlooking nobles' heirs realized theextentofRayne'srestraint, seeingSalemWas spared, not aiming at him directly.
Thus, their gazesfilled with awe and admiration.
The femaleknightclosed her wide eyes, tellingEvelynextotheraside:
"Evelyn, I takeBackWhatIsaid. To be able to smash the training ground like that, Rayne is simply not a normalhuman."
Evelyn, too, wasstunned, staring atthe trainingGround!
If the last timeRayne shattered the thick hull of the 'SunkenShip,' she couldn't fully relate, as she hadn't struck it herself.
However, she was fully aware of theTraining ground's hardness, knew it well, having trained here since childhood.
.
The Reinforced soil's hardness rivaled to that of ordinary rock.
Yet, in one strike by Rayne, it was transformed like this!
On Rayne's side, the system notification appeared:
【Your skill Tockkar Hammer Technique has been upgraded, Experience +178】
After the battle with Salem, Rain successfully advanced his Tockkar Hammer Technique from level 4 (843/1000) to level 5 (21/2000).
At this moment, Rain is experiencing a new influx of fragmented memories of Tockkar Hammer Technique training in his mind.
These memory fragments are like scattered scenes of training, as if Rain had personally experienced them, and he is quickly digesting and absorbing them, integrating them into his muscle memory.
Soon, Rain feels as if he has gained two years of diligent practice in the Tockkar Hammer Technique.
Details of the technique that he had previously overlooked are gradually becoming clearer in his mind.
Salem, supported by someone, walks over and looks at Rain, saying sincerely, "Thank you for holding back, Lord Rain!"
Rain snaps back to reality and takes a quick glance at Salem, the second son of the Count, noticing his pale face and dejected expression, resembling a defeated rooster.
Rain acknowledges Salem's dedication and commitment as an 'Experience NPC', who had given his all in the battle, providing Rain with a substantial amount of experience points and helping him advance his hammer technique to level 5.
Additionally, Salem's gratitude for Rain's restraint indicates that he is a person who knows when to retreat.
Rain, naturally, offers words of encouragement.
"I'm sorry, Lord Salem. Your strength is truly remarkable, and I got carried away in the heat of the moment," Rain says with a hint of apology.
Upon hearing Rain's praise and recognition, Salem's initially dejected expression turns red, and he says excitedly, "It was an honor to spar with you, Lord Rain. I hope I can seek your guidance again in the future."
Indeed, when one's strength far surpasses that of their opponent, the other party is less likely to have the motivation for a serious contest.
Moreover, young people often seek approval from their elders or figures like Rain, who embody strength.
In an instant, an idea flashes through Rain's mind.
Perhaps he could consider befriending more capable young people and encouraging them to spar with him.
After all, youth and passion are easier to inspire!
However, as Rain glances at the young generation beside Salem, he hesitates.
He decides to be selective, excluding those who are not up to par.
At this moment, Viscount Norman and his wife descend from the second floor of their mansion and arrive at the training grounds.
---
Maester County Town.
Inside the Bat Market.
A store with a sign displaying the emblem of a star, moon, and sun stands a tall, black-robed customer - none other than Dennis's father, Baron Norman.
After nearly ten days without a response from his old friend Adams, Baron Norman senses something amiss and decides to visit Adams's store.
To his surprise, he finds the store sealed with a notice!
A dark cloud descends upon his heart. "Could Adams have failed?"
"That's impossible!"
"Perhaps something unexpected happened, or there was interference from other experts or factions?"
Baron Norman furrows his brows, deep in thought.
In a luxurious study within the Harris Count's mansion, a bearded man dressed in black noble attire with golden trim stares at a letter in his hand, muttering,
"How is this possible?"
"Not only did Rain pass the enfeoffment examination, but he also received an excellent evaluation and was granted the title of Baron. His talent is even more terrifying than Klaya's!"
"Rain has become a Baron!"
"Compared to my years of effort, it's almost laughable!"
Yesterday, Lamar from the Black Flame Church discussed with him the possibility of Rain passing the examination. According to Lamar, the High Priest suggested that if Rain passed, he should be reassigned as a sheriff in Fishing Harbor Town.
At the time, he had assured that he could arrange for Rain's appointment, whether he received a knighthood or a baronetcy.
But the turn of events has come too quickly. Now that Rain has been granted a barony, this reassignment is beyond his control.
His father, Count Harris, will undoubtedly summon Rain personally.
All his previous arrangements with the Black Flame Church are rendered useless!
The problem is that Rain's growth has exceeded everyone's expectations, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to control him.
Alonso's expression grows increasingly somber, and he makes a silent decision.
"Michelle! Prepare the carriage. I'm going out."
---
(End of Chapter)
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