Chapter 179: A Bold Idea

Chapter 179: A Bold Idea



[Armorer Mastery Lv.1 (Passive): Due to the Armorer's extensive research in forging metal armor, they are highly familiar with the crafting of various metal armors, slightly increasing the success rate of armor production.]



Huh!

It turned out to be a production-related core skill!

Rain's heart sank.

What he desired was undoubtedly a combat-oriented core skill, but he never expected it to be a manufacturing-focused one.

This left Rain with a sense of disappointment, as if his initial excitement had been for naught.

However, there was nothing he could do about it now, so Rain continued reading the skill's description:

[Core Skill: Armorer Mastery Lv.1 (Passive)]



Armorer Mastery Lv.1 (Passive) Effect: The success rate of crafting all metal armors is significantly increased, with a slight improvement in the production of good-quality armors and a minor increase in the creation of superior ones.

This information quickly led Rain into deep contemplation.

The core skill wasn't entirely useless!

Perhaps, when he could craft more advanced Knight Plate Armor, it would prove to be exceptionally effective.

After all, it was no easy feat for an ordinary Armorer to successfully forge high-quality Knight Plate Armor. But with the Armorer Mastery core skill, Rain already envisioned scenarios where he could make excellent use of it.

However, this could wait; there was no need to rush.

At this moment, Rain carefully examined his status panel.

The original Blacksmith panel had disappeared, replaced by the Armorer profession panel.

Unlike the other three Extraordinary professions, the Armorer panel remained white, indicating a regular profession rather than an Extraordinary one.

Upon a quick glance, Rain noticed that the Blacksmith skills, as the system had previously warned, were now incorporated into the Armorer panel.

With the transition to Armorer, Rain gained an additional two points in Strength and two points in Constitution, increasing his Strength attribute from 17 to 19 and his Constitution from 19 to 21, entering the 20s range.

Feeling the surge of power throughout his body, Rain couldn't help but feel delighted.

A single level-up in profession only granted one free attribute point, but Rain's transition from Blacksmith to Armorer yielded a growth of four attribute points.

This was equivalent to leveling up his profession by four levels.

Moreover, with this four-point attribute increase, Rain's Limit Break value rose directly from 75% to 83%, inching closer to the 100% threshold.

His most significant gain was the confirmation that when forging and magic were combined effectively, it significantly boosted the experience gained in the forging profession.

After some contemplation, Rain decided against continuing with the Spearman Armor Set and instead prepared for his upcoming journey.

He had already returned to his new manor.

His daughter, Jenny, had gone back to the Crowley Family Manor, and the beautiful Jennifer was currently taking a bath in Rain's new residence.

As for why the beauty stayed with Rain instead of returning to the Crowley Family Manor, Jennifer's reasoning was simple—she now served as the housekeeper for the new Baron's manor.

As the housekeeper, it was only natural for her to prepare a room for herself in the new manor.

As the warm water flowed over her body, the beauty closed her eyes, reminiscing about the wonderful night.

It had been over a year since she last experienced such exquisite pleasure.

At her age, she was at the prime of her needs.

Of course, the most crucial factor was the young man's exceptional talent, both in strength and in that particular area.

The beauty couldn't help but feel a sense of crisis as she realized that as the young man's strength continued to grow, his status would rise, and he would have access to more outstanding women.

Sigh! She was no longer a 'fresh' young girl, and her age was a concern.

In the future, as the young man's strength increased, his status would likely rise, and he would encounter even more exceptional women.

Relying on her family background?

Being born into a middle-class merchant family, the Crowley Family was merely a regular Baronial family, while the young man was already a Baron. Clearly, that wouldn't work!

Relying on her beauty?

Jennifer caressed her still-beautiful face with the water, feeling confident for now, but she knew that as time passed, her confidence might wane.

Relying on her decent business acumen?

No, that was merely an added benefit, requiring the support of powerful individuals.

Considering all this, it seemed there was only one way to ensure the young man would always have a place in his heart for her.

At that moment, as Jennifer entertained a bold idea, Rain returned to his new manor.

Upon reaching his room, Rain began his daily practice of basic meditation.

Previously, before Anna's departure and when his Mental Power reached 23, he could visualize twenty Will Runes in one go.

Now, with his Mental Power at 25, Rain could visualize twenty-two Will Runes in a single attempt.

He was just two runes away from directly visualizing all twenty-four Will Runes and achieving the level of an 'Apprentice Wizard Level 3'.

When one sees their goal within reach, they feel motivated! Rain felt the same.

At this moment, he really wanted to allocate those two remaining attribute points to Mental Power.

If he did so, who knows, he might even visualize all twenty-four Will Runes in one go today!

But the 'reset and recover' trump card couldn't be used here.

So, it was just a thought.

After completing his basic meditation, Rain began to contemplate the preparations for his departure.

First and foremost, the most crucial task—'Arranging the Family Before Departure'—was already accomplished.

The Noble District in the County Town was, in a sense, already the safest area in all of Myester County.

The Noble District not only had extremely strict personnel access restrictions but also boasted a much higher density of patrolling City Guards compared to the Civilian District, Trade District, and other areas.

Under normal circumstances, as long as his parents and sister Mint stayed within this region, the likelihood of any mishaps occurring was significantly reduced.

In unusual circumstances, Rain shook his head slightly. He didn't need to consider those situations.

After all, this was an extraordinary world, and there were many mysterious methods to send someone back to the embrace of the goddess, beyond the normal means.

As for these methods, Rain currently had no idea how to deal with them.

Even he himself could only rely on his extraordinarily strong mental power and constitution to resist certain curses and deadly secret arts.

At the same time, this always gave Rain a sense of urgency, compelling him to constantly improve his own strength.

As for other matters, Rain thought for a moment. Since his family was already settled, other things weren't as important.

However, tomorrow he still needed to send someone to Shangjin Town to inform Hamilton.

Regarding the mysterious incident, he feared he wouldn't have time to deal with it for now and would have to wait until he returned from the Golden Coast.

There was no time to waste.

Rain planned to set off for the Golden Coast the next day, bidding farewell to his family and Jennifer, to seek out Master Gunther.

At this moment, there was a light knock on the bedroom door.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The voice was soft, as if not to disturb the people in the neighboring rooms.

Rain vaguely guessed who it was.

His eyebrows lifted slightly, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Come in!"

As soon as Rain finished speaking, a woman wearing a hood and a black robe quickly opened the door and entered.

She swiftly removed her hood, revealing a beautiful face—it was the charming Lady Jennifer.

The beauty glanced at Rain with her beautiful eyes and immediately turned around to lock the door.

Rain looked at the woman in the black robe, a bit puzzled by her unusual attire, which was completely different from her noble lady's outfit from earlier. He curiously asked, "Hey, Jennifer, why are you dressed like this today?"

In response to Rain's question, the lady didn't speak but instead loosened a tie on her black robe.

As the black robe fell to the ground, Rain's eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape, and he was astonished.

Damn, Jennifer, you know how to have fun!

The lady, who was a high-ranking baroness, was now wearing a tightly-fitted maid outfit, accentuating her beautiful figure.

Her upper body was full and so white it was almost blinding, almost bursting out of her clothes, and her waist was slender with a bit of flab on her stomach, but it didn't make her look plump; instead, it added to her femininity.

The hem of her skirt didn't reach her knees or thighs but was closer to the end.

Walking casually would risk exposure.

The exaggerated proportions of her chest, waist, and hips immediately captured Rain's attention.

No wonder the lady had sneaked in earlier, looking guilty, and even covered herself with a black robe outside.

If this got out, the news of a noble baroness wearing a maid outfit and visiting her young lover's room late at night would likely become the talk of the town among both the nobility and commoners in Myester County.

It was just too damn playful! And the best part was yet to come!

The lady hesitantly took out a small, cylindrical candlestick from behind her back, looking shy as she lowered her head and said to Rain, "The triangular candelabra has three candles, which is too much for me. Can I use this instead?"

A flame-like light seemed to ignite in Rain's eyes.

Would a real man hesitate in this situation?

Rain took a step forward and, amidst Jennifer's exclamation, picked her up and headed towards the big bed.

(10,000 words omitted)



At dawn the next day, Rain hugged the voluptuous lady, and suddenly, he had an epiphany about a few words from his past life: 'The gentle village is the hero's tomb,' and 'Lust is a bone-scraping knife.'

No wonder so many people, including Alonso, had their eyes on this playful lady.

As the morning light appeared, Rain thought for a moment and said softly to the lady, "Jennifer, I plan to leave today."

"But please keep my departure a secret for now."

"By the time some people realize it, I should be back. This way, it'll be safer for you all, as some people might hold back because of me."

The lady nodded obediently when Rain mentioned serious matters.

Rain had discussed this with her before. She fully agreed with his approach of continuously improving his strength instead of indulging in the 'gentle village.'

She understood that the core strength of a family couldn't afford to fall.

Even with her talent for business and wealth creation, she couldn't make up for it.

Since Rain's new manor currently lacked some necessities like carriages, the lady thoughtfully asked, "Rain, do you need a carriage to take you there?"

"No need, I'll be faster on horseback," Rain shook his head.

"Oh no!" The lady exclaimed, her face turning pale.

She immediately got up, revealing a large area of snow-white, creamy skin.

"Hmm?" Rain looked at her in surprise.

"It's getting light outside. I need to go back to my room immediately. If your parents see me..." The lady explained as she quickly put on her clothes.

Rain suddenly understood!

After breakfast, Rain bid farewell to his family and Jennifer, still wearing a hood and a black robe. He rode with two horses, heading towards the Golden Coast.

Due to the time constraint, Rain didn't detour to Lachmond Fishing Port to meet with Hass for old times' sake.

He planned to visit on his return journey.

Six days later, Rain arrived at a town on the Golden Coast named Landonia.

With the blue sea and sky, Rain enjoyed the cool winter breeze by the coast. Following the locals' guidance, he quickly found Master Gunther's secluded residence—a white lighthouse on the coast.

Rain was surprised by the uniqueness of Master Gunther's hideout.

It was located on a small island just off the coast, connected to the mainland by a narrow path.

Perhaps 'path' wasn't the most accurate description, as the middle section of the path was an arched stone bridge.

Standing on the coast, Rain gazed across the sea.

He could clearly see the rocky island, with seven or eight simple stone houses near the center and the white lighthouse.

Around the lighthouse, there were also many simple houses, but unlike the stone structures on the island, most of these were made of wood, and the number of young people here far exceeded those on the island.

Some of them were alone, while others were in groups of three or five, practicing various sword techniques.

Upon seeing this, Rain's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he thought to himself, "Wow, most of them are full-fledged knights, and the rest are squires, but the squires are noticeably younger."

"However, these young people at the lighthouse haven't gone to the island. Does that mean there's some kind of division here? Only those who have reached a certain level in swordsmanship can go to the island, while those below that level can only train here?"

Rain was a bit puzzled.

Sensing Rain's presence as a stranger, many of the young people focused their attention on him, but after a quick glance, they didn't approach him and continued practicing their sword techniques.

Despite the distance of several dozen meters, Rain's keen perception allowed him to clearly hear the whispers among the young people.

"Another one!"

"I wonder if he's introduced by a grand noble or if he has to pass the test like us."

"Pfft, even if they're introduced by a grand noble, Master Gunther won't cater to them. If they don't meet his training requirements, they're out."

". . ."

Rain's eyebrows furrowed slightly at the mention of Master Gunther's strictness.

However, his expression quickly relaxed.

He was here to learn real skills.

A strict master often produces outstanding students, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

As long as he could learn something!

Someone on the island seemed to notice Rain riding a tall black horse, and one of them quickly made his way through the narrow path towards Rain.

Out of politeness, Rain jumped off the black horse and approached the newcomer, a young man holding a large two-handed sword and slightly taller than Rain by half a head, with a height of nearly two meters.

"Are you here to see Master Gunther?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a letter of introduction?"

"Yes!" Rain nodded, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the letter.

At this moment, the young man waved his hand and said, "No need to show it to me. You can give it directly to the master later."

The young man took another look at Rain, seemingly finding him ordinary, and then glanced at the large black horse next to Rain, which was noticeably bigger and more robust than an average horse. "Nice horse."

His implied meaning was clear—a nice horse doesn't necessarily mean a nice rider.

But Rain didn't mind.

Changing someone's opinion of you isn't about words but about strength.

"Follow me," the young man said, slightly surprised by Rain's composed demeanor. He nodded and walked ahead.

"Where are you from?" he asked casually.

"Myester County," Rain replied.

"That's close, just in the neighboring county," the young man nodded.

"How do you know Master Gunther?" he continued.

Rain glanced at him but didn't answer.

The young man didn't mind and asked, "Do you know that Master Gunther's training is notoriously strict?"

"If you don't meet his training requirements, your training will end, even if you're introduced by a grand noble."

"See that guy over there?" he gestured with his chin.

Rain followed his gaze to a young man in noble hunter attire, looking dejected as he placed his bag on a brown horse, apparently preparing to leave.

"He's been here for seven days," the young man answered.

"But that's not bad. Some stay for three days; seven days is still decent," he said, glancing at Rain to gauge his reaction.

The newcomer's composure surprised him, reminding him of a sturdy reef standing tall on the coast.

But his disappointment was short-lived.

Rain's expression remained calm, revealing no emotions.

Soon, they reached the other side of the island through a narrow path.

There, a tall, robust old man with a commanding presence was instructing several muscular young men.

Upon seeing Rain, the old man turned and approached.

His hair, a mix of gold and white, was casually swept back, and his face, chiseled by the sea's fury, sported a goatee. His broad shoulders and sturdy chest resembled a majestic mountain, exuding awe-inspiring power.

The old man scrutinized Rain from head to toe.

"Master Gunther, greetings. I'm Rain from Myester County, and this is my letter of introduction," Rain said respectfully, handing over Kayla's letter.

"Hmm, is this a recommendation from Kayla?" The old man's eyes widened in surprise as he took the letter.

He quickly read it and then examined Rain again, astonished. "The letter says Kayla believes your knightly talent surpasses hers."

Several of the young men nearby, hearing this, waved their swords and glanced at Rain, curious about this 'newcomer' with supposed talent.

But soon, they returned to their training, seemingly 'disappointed' in Rain, who, at first glance, seemed unremarkable.

"In my training, talent doesn't matter; only results do. If you can complete the daily training requirements, you can stay," Master Gunther said sternly.

"I understand, Master Gunther," Rain replied.

Master Gunther nodded. "Basque, take the newcomer to settle his belongings."

"Yes, Master Gunther," the young man who had greeted Rain responded.

"In half an hour, come back to complete your first training task," Master Gunther instructed.

Rain nodded, slightly startled.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end