Chapter 191: Underlying Currents (Part 2)

Chapter 191: Underlying Currents (Part 2)



Maist City.

Inside the Gale and Sea Goddess Temple Hall.

Rain examined the experience points for each Extraordinary Profession on his attribute panel: Arcane Apprentice (Extraordinary) lv4 (358/1000), Knight (Extraordinary) lv5 (795/2000), and Extraordinary Beastmaster lv5 (64/2000).

After a quick assessment, Rain first ruled out the Knight profession as he was already engaged in numerous battles and primarily relied on his Knight combat skills, which earned him substantial experience points.

Next, he considered the Beastmaster profession, as he had some new potions to try, which would likely yield significant experience points.

This left the first option as the most challenging to level up.

It was inappropriate to say, 'This is impossible!' or question Rain's ability by asking, 'How is this possible?' The beautiful woman naturally refrained from voicing such doubts.

This meant that the young man before her, no, the 'Great' man, was about to reach the Great Knight level.

The beautiful woman, although unaware of Rain's reasons for mentioning the Wilderness Brotherhood and Giovanni, quickly responded.

A Great Knight at sixteen, I wonder if there's anyone as impressive in the capital city of Minster. Jennifer didn't question Rain's confidence in reaching the Great Knight level but assumed that her little man must have it all figured out.

Seeing this, Rain couldn't help but break into a brilliant smile.

Rain and the beautiful woman soon arrived at the study on the second floor.

He had initially thought that the upcoming bloody duel would be an easy victory.

Rain spoke to his mother, Emma, and Elder Rain, "Mother, Father, Lady Crowley, and I have something to discuss."

"Lastly, we acquired it through official channels."

"Oh, and Jennifer, there's one more thing. Send someone to contact Sheriff Hamilton of Shiny Gold Town later and tell him I'd like to discuss something with him."

The beautiful woman was not only stunning but also knowledgeable about noble secrets, commercial gossip, and more, despite her lack of martial prowess.

"Hmm, do you know who their leader is?" Rain continued.

A group of fully armed burly men quickly jumped off the small boat and began to secure the area. Shortly after, a burly man resembling a squad leader whispered a report, "Captain Parix, it's safe! You can disembark."

Rain couldn't help but laugh at the audacity of the duel invitation.

Before leaving, Rain had asked Cookie to take care of Mint, and eyelids felt heavy, and after a month of adding a few drops of mutant growth potion to her meals daily, Cookie's physique had surpassed that of an average Linti Hound.

"Jennifer, don't worry. Perhaps the situation isn't as bad as you imagine."

Indeed, the elite Navy forces lived up to their reputation. Rain had underestimated them; they had the audacity to risk their lives for victory.

The Arcane Apprentice (Extraordinary) profession level on the panel increased from lv4 to lv5 (1325/2000), and the bottom of the panel displayed remaining attribute points: 3, and remaining skill points: 2.

The beautiful baroness, though attractive, was a widow, and her age was a significant factor.

Rain's worries dissipated as he saw the beautiful woman's initially worried expression vanish, her fair skin glowing with a rosy hue. Her alluring eyes, like silken threads, gazed at Rain with adoration and admiration.

After a moment's thought, Rain asked,

"Where's the person who was supposed to meet me?"

Soon, the news of Rain's return spread throughout the new mansion.

Seeing Rain nod, Sheriff Hamilton sighed.

Rain's words clearly conveyed his intention—he needed Beast Essence.

This was a height that required Rain's admiration.

The beautiful woman confidently nodded, "Of course, I know. They are notorious throughout Maist County. Some time ago, the Crowley family's shops were disrupted by thugs they hired. It took a lot of effort for me to resolve the issue."

Baron Norman, having weathered many storms, quickly regained his composure after his initial outburst.

"Of course, we might also be waiting in vain for three days."

Time was of the North entering.

The beautiful woman's eyes widened, her mouth gaping as if she could fit an egg inside.

Perhaps Jennifer would have been a more suitable match for Rain.

If successful, he could crush Rain in the bloody duel.

Rain dismounted, picked up his sister Mint, and playfully ruffled her hair.

So he repeated to Sheriff Hamilton what he had told Jennifer.

If he failed again, there would be no secret potion to restore his peak strength.

However, he had just thought of a problem. His duel opponent, Baron Norman, was a retired Navy officer. If Rain approached the quartermaster's office, the news might reach Norman's ears, and he could create obstacles for Rain or the Beast Essence.

After a while, Butler Michel smiled and said, "Lord Alonso's message is that you can ask for any assistance you need. Our goal is the same: for you to win the bloody duel next week."

Mint was surprised to see Cookie, who had been playing with her, suddenly dash out. She paused, then looked up and shouted joyfully, "Brother, you're back!"

"There should be a Beast Heart in the family treasury. I'll apply for it shortly, and Michel, you can give it to Master Holland."

"My dear, as an imperial official and a baron, you can directly order Beast Essence. Of course, providing a Beast Heart can significantly reduce the price, but it's also the slowest option, taking at least a month."

"That's the County Military Supply Office."

Naturally, there was none, and that's how the nobility was. However, seeing the beautiful woman's worried expression, Rain smiled gently, walked up to her, and embraced her soft and tender body. He comforted her, saying:

When Rain rode his tall black horse back to the new mansion, the first to welcome him was the Linti dog, Cookie.

Michel, Alonso's butler, was paying a visit to Baron Norman.

Looking at it this way.

So, in the end, Rain still focused his attention on the Wizard (Extraordinary) profession panel.

When Michel arrived at Baron Alonso's study and reported the situation of the meeting, Alonso showed a thoughtful expression and said:

Because if a man only has women in his heart and revolves everything around women, then, I'm sorry, this will only affect a man's speed of drawing his sword.

"Respect, Baron. Midnight, Master County, by the sea in the Fishing Port Town."

Rain smiled and didn't say anything. Instead, he took the duel invitation and casually opened it, reading: "Baron Rain: Considering your insult to the Norman family, only blood can wash away the shame. Please accept the challenge and duel me in the County City on the second Sunday of Snow Moon to defend the honor of the knights. The duel will continue until one of us falls, and after the duel, all grudges will be settled once and for all!"

Rain didn't answer directly but smiled and asked, "Do you know the Wilderness Brotherhood?"

"Is it the Beast Essence required for a knight to advance to the Great Knight?" asked the beautiful woman, snuggling in Rain's arms with a lazy post-rain voice.

"Baron, I bring greetings from Baron Alonso. First, congratulations on reaching your peak condition."

When the old man saw this beautiful woman, he didn't even dare to raise his head, and his face turned red at the sight.

For someone his age, this was probably his best chance to advance to the Great Knight.

"That's about right. It's said that both of them have battle strength close to that of a Great Knight, perhaps with Giovanni being slightly stronger." The beautiful woman thought for a moment and said.

This couldn't help but make Emma admire the natural beauty of the beautiful woman.

Although Rain had already explained it clearly, and the silver conch medal from the Goddess Church was indeed genuine, Hamilton still found it hard to believe that his former subordinate, his adjutant Rain, had now reached such heights.

"I understand!" Rain nodded.

"Baron, I have some news on your side that I believe will interest you. It's about your upcoming duel opponent, Rain."

"Sir, I wanted to ask if there's anything special to note when a knight advances to the Great Knight?" Rain asked.

Soon, Jennifer, the beautiful woman, also hurried out of the villa in the mansion.

The radiant beautiful woman straightened her messy hair, restoring her dignified appearance as a lady, and she and Rain left the study one after the other.

In private, the beautiful woman had started calling Rain 'darling.'

Although Michel wasn't skilled, he had been immersed in the noble circle for many years. Through their attitudes and expressions, he could guess a few things about Baron Norman's true thoughts. After some internal criticism, he smiled and said:

It's worth noting that Rain had only recently advanced to a formal knight a few months ago!

As soon as the squad leader finished speaking, a pair of shiny plate armor boots stepped out of the small boat's cabin and onto the sandy beach, crushing a fiddler crab into meat sauce.

But facing Rain, who could now defeat Giovanni, Rain seemed to believe that advancing to the Great Knight was his only chance of victory.

Inevitably, after the dinner ended, Hamilton, who had just arrived, met with Rain.

Thinking about it, to ease the beautiful woman's worries, Rain took out the silver conch medal that Bishop Sean had just bestowed upon him from his embrace and handed it to the beautiful woman.

A not-so-big boat rushed onto the sandy beach with a 'whoosh.'

It's your Norman family who repeatedly attempted to assassinate me, leading to the current situation! However, Rain quickly realized that this was a strategy of his opponent.

"In the entire Master County, there are only two alchemists, and only one of them, Master Holland, can create the Beast Essence potion."

Not bad!

"By the way, Jennifer, do you know about the Beast Essence potion?"

Being stared at by the beautiful woman, Rain instantly felt a surge of male pride within him.

Additionally, Rain keenly noticed that Cookie's body was transforming from a slender dog, and the muscles on her body were becoming more prominent. Her physique was gradually moving away from the Linti dog breed's naturally slender build, seemingly undergoing some kind of mutant growth.

However, the beautiful woman couldn't have imagined that her little man had become this powerful.

"Hmm, you want to know why the Goddess Church awarded me this silver conch medal, don't you?"

Especially this stunning baroness, although she was only a few years younger, when they walked together, they looked like two generations.

He paused for a moment, deep in thought.

Jennifer felt her head wasn't enough! After calming her excitement, for the sake of her little man's important matter, Jennifer thought seriously and said in a soft voice, "There are three paths, but I'm not sure which one is the most suitable."

"What?!" Baron Norman, who had been calm, was now shocked, his eyes fixed on Michel with a burning gaze.

After a friendly conversation, Rain brought up a family matter.

"What a pity, such an excellent young man, but he couldn't join our church."

"Good, I'll immediately inform Baron Alonso. Although it's difficult, I believe Baron Alonso will have a solution.

In the face of such talent, even in the provincial capital of Minster, it would be a huge sensation.

"You know about Baron Norman's bloody duel, right?" Hamilton asked, his voice stern.

"I'll take it!"

"That's great! But remember, Norman Baron is an experienced fighter, and his strength is no less than Giovanni's." Hamilton reminded him.

"Yes, I understand. I'll do my best to get it done as soon as possible."

"What?!" Michelle was shocked, instantly understanding Baron Norman's intention. The baron was planning to advance to the Great Knight realm ahead of schedule.

"Yes!"

After bidding farewell to Bishop Sean and Dean Rudolph, Ryan slowly walked out of the hall.

But soon, Hamilton adjusted his mindset, saying, "However, Ryan, you can't be complacent. Baron Norman has rich combat experience, and his fighting prowess is not below Giovanni's."

"By the way, Ryan, why did you call me here?" Hamilton asked.

"If it's about beginner or intermediate potions, it's not a problem. But the Beast Essence is an advanced potion, and the success rate might be concerning. However, this should be the fastest method. Normally, Master Holland would complete the Beast Essence within three days."

However, it seemed that he had misjudged Ryan's growth, which was truly astonishing!

Although Hamilton had tried to overestimate Ryan's combat prowess in his mind, what Ryan had just said still shocked him to the core. Hamilton looked Ryan up and down, studying the most familiar stranger before him, and asked, "Ryan, did you really defeat Giovanni on your own?"

"Hmm? You've reached this level?" Hamilton's eyes lit up, his gaze intense as he looked at Ryan.

"Because I defeated Giovanni!" Ryan smiled at the beautiful woman, revealing the answer.

The moonlight shimmered on the sea, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.

"It should be soon," Ryan nodded.

Despite the approaching dinner time, the two of them, like dry wood meeting a raging fire, acted swiftly.

"I'll take care of it!"

"Yes, I'll handle it myself."

"Alright, go ahead." His mother, Emma, trusted him and nodded in agreement.

"Also, this involves a safety issue, so ultimately, the decision is up to you."

"I'll take care of it myself!"

"Okay, I'll leave it to you."

"

His original plan was to defeat Rain in the bloody duel, then, with the momentum of victory, he would take the Beast Essence and strive to break through to become a Great Knight.

The other party's detailed analysis was of great help to him.

Wait, and also, didn't Rain just say he had two ready-made Beast Hearts?

Rain had already realized this, so these things were merely a way to spice up his monotonous cultivation or, rather, to let him enjoy himself before returning to cultivation and combat with renewed vigor.

Is he about to become a Great Knight? Oh my!

Regarding his successful recovery with the secret potion, he felt that even if Baron Alonso came in person to congratulate him, it wouldn't be an overreaction, but this time, the other party, as usual, only sent a butler over.

Beast Knight Giovanni, Baron Norman not only knew him but also, a long time ago, due to the family caravan's affairs, the two had crossed swords.

Feeling great, Rain decided to reward the beautiful lady again, and only after half an hour, when a servant came to report that dinner was ready, did the two end their deep exchange.

During Rain's absence, Baroness Crowley got along quite well with her, and in Emma's eyes, the noble lady and her daughter didn't seem as difficult to get along with as she had imagined.

"Rain killed the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, Beast Knight Giovanni, in a one-on-one duel outside the county town today!" Michelle's expression turned solemn as she delivered this shocking news.

"There's no time to waste, Baron Norman. I'll take my leave now." Michelle, aware of the gravity of the situation, chose to leave immediately.

"It's absolutely true. Our man witnessed it with his own eyes!" Michelle suppressed the smile on her lips and spoke solemnly.

Rain nodded slightly. Although the mutation might lead to a decrease in speed, it was still acceptable to him.

As he watched Rain's departing figure, Bishop Sean turned to ask, "Rudolph, your insight is truly sharp. I never imagined that the young man you reported to me once has grown to such an extent."

Hearing Jennifer's profound knowledge of various secrets, Rain felt a pleasant surprise, as if he had unexpectedly stumbled upon a treasure.

Watching the tall Rain and the graceful lady walking away, Emma had an inexplicable feeling that the two were a perfect match.

"This this..." The lady tried to say something but couldn't get the words out.

You think you're so tough just because your strength has recovered! You're just a longsword in Baron Alonso's hands, and what we're doing is making this longsword sharper.

"Oh?" Baron Norman raised an eyebrow, glancing at Michelle without much concern.

"Also, help me contact Axson Auction House and ask if they have any Beast Essence. If they do, we must obtain it, no matter the cost."

Rain nodded, but he couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Although he had already ordered a bottle of Beast Essence through his special channel two days ago, it would take at least half a month for it to be delivered to Misty.

Baron Norman nodded.

As expected! A smile appeared on Michelle's lips.

"Secondly, Axson Auction House is a massive auction house spanning the entire empire, and it's rumored that their backer is one of the most influential figures in the empire."

Soon, Rain noticed the beautiful lady with a hint of worry between her brows.

"Hmm." The lady leaned on Rain's chest, submissively.

Jennifer spoke while pointing at Rain's chest with her fair finger.

"But the problem is, Master Holland's success rate in potion-making, compared to the masters of the Royal Alchemists Association, is quite different in both effectiveness and success rate."

"The greatest difference between a Great Knight and a Knight is..." - In a study room of Baron Norman's mansion.

The most important aspect of Supreme Combat Skill Level 10 was to gain enough skill points by increasing the profession level on the panel, but for Beast Essence, it seemed he only knew of one channel.

"Perhaps other auction houses don't have the means to obtain Beast Essence, but Axson Auction House is highly likely to have it. It's just that the price will be extremely high, and the time frame is also relatively uncertain; it could be very soon, or it might take a month."

Oh my! This was truly unbelievable! The lady immediately understood why Rain had taken such a roundabout approach.

He looked around and asked, "Have you contacted Magis, the liaison officer in Misty?"

After reviewing the prerequisites for the promotion to the profession panel of Master Armorer (Legendary), Rain discovered that apart from the first item, Supreme Combat Skill Level 10, his Beast Essence was likely holding him back.

Following the gleaming plate armor boots upward, a tall man in half-plate armor emerged from the cabin.

If it were a talent like the Dog King 'Cole' that mutated into something like 'Rapid Reproduction', then he would have a headache.

Hamilton was deep in thought, but he didn't immediately answer Rain's question. After a while, he spoke,

Although she wasn't a knight, as the head of the Crowley family, she naturally knew such common-sense matters.

"That idiot Andre, getting wiped out like that is so embarrassing! Now I have to clean up his mess."

It seemed that Captain Parix was quite dissatisfied with being assigned to oversee the overall operations of the Resistance Army in Misty County!

Disclaimer: The author is not being lazy; the content was reviewed.~o(╥﹏╥)o!

Today's chapter should be on the bestseller list, the kind that readers see as soon as they open their phone app.

Once again, thank you to all the readers for your strong support, which has made the book's ranking better and better every day! (`) Heart!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end