Chapter 191: Underlying Currents

Chapter 191: Underlying Currents



Mystria County City.

Inside the Hall of the Temple of the Goddess of Gale and Sea.

Rain examined the experience points for various Extraordinary professions on his attribute panel and fell into deep thought.

Extraordinary Apprentice Wizard Lv.4 (358/1000) / Extraordinary Knight Lv.5 (795/2000) / Extraordinary Beastmaster Lv.5 (64/2000).

After a quick assessment, Rain first ruled out the Extraordinary Knight profession panel, as he was currently facing numerous battles and primarily relied on knight combat skills, which earned him substantial experience points.

Next, regarding Beastmaster, he had some new potions he wanted to try, which would likely yield considerable experience.

Surprisingly, the most challenging profession to level up was the first one.

Finally, Rain focused his attention on the Extraordinary Apprentice Wizard profession panel.

As Rain silently recited 'Apprentice Wizard,' 1976 experience points were instantly allocated to the Extraordinary Apprentice Wizard profession panel.

A system notification promptly appeared:

{Congratulations, your Extraordinary Apprentice Wizard profession level has increased!}

The panel displayed the Apprentice Wizard (Extraordinary) profession level rising from Lv.4 to Lv.5 (1325/2000), and at the bottom, it indicated remaining attribute points: 3, and remaining skill points: 2.

Witnessing this, Rain couldn't help but break into a radiant smile.

A blessing from the Goddess?

Truly wonderful!

Rain sincerely bowed to Archbishop Shane in a knight's salute and said, "Thank the Goddess, and thank you, Archbishop!"

After a friendly conversation, Rain took the initiative to mention that he had something to discuss with Baroness Crowley.

After bidding farewell to Archbishop Shane and Archbishop Rudolph, Rain slowly exited the hall.

Archbishop Shane watched Rain's departing figure and turned to Archbishop Rudolph, asking, "Rudolph, your insight is truly remarkable. I never expected that the young man you once reported to me would have grown to such an extent."

"It's a pity that such an outstanding young man couldn't join our church."

As Rain rode his tall black warhorse, Mint was startled to see Cookie, who had been playing with her, suddenly dash out. She stood there, momentarily stunned, before looking up and calling out joyfully, "Brother, you're back!"

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

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

Before long, the beautiful Jennifer also heard the news and, seeing Rain chatting with his family, had to temporarily suppress her urge to rush into his embrace. Instead, she stood by with a smile, gazing at Rain.

Rain quickly noticed the faint worry in Jennifer's eyes.

He said to his parents, Emma and Old Rain, "Father, Mother, Baroness Crowley and I have something to discuss."

"Yes, go ahead," Emma replied without hesitation, nodding in agreement.

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

Especially this stunningly beautiful baroness, who, despite being only a few years younger than Emma, seemed like a different generation when they walked together.

When Old Rain saw the beautiful baroness, he couldn't even lift his head, blushing at the sight of her.

Emma couldn't help but feel envious of the baroness's natural beauty.

As she watched Rain's tall figure and the baroness's graceful demeanor, Emma couldn't shake the feeling that they were a perfect match.

But soon, Emma shook her head, dismissing the absurd thought from her mind.

Lady Jenny, on the other hand, would be a more suitable match for Rain.

The baroness was indeed beautiful, but she was a widow, and her age was still a concern.

Rain and the baroness soon arrived at the study on the second floor.

The baroness locked the door, and the smile she had maintained in front of others faded as she handed Rain a blood-red invitation with a worried expression, saying, "Dear, this is Baron Norman's bloody duel invitation."

In private, the baroness now addressed Rain as "dear."

Rain smiled but said nothing. He took the invitation and opened it:

"Baron Rain: In light of your insults to the Norman family, only blood can wash away the shame. I challenge you to a duel at the county city's arena on the next Sunday to defend the honor of knighthood. The duel will continue until one of us falls, and all grudges will be settled thereafter!"

Reading this shameless duel invitation, Rain couldn't help but laugh in anger.

Insulting the Norman family, indeed!

But Rain quickly realized that this was a strategic move by the Normans.

They were implying that Rain, as a newly appointed baron, had insulted their family, and that was why they were challenging him to a duel!

As for evidence...

Of course not, that's how the nobility is.

However, upon seeing the beautiful woman's worried expression, Rain gently smiled, walked over, and embraced her, comforting her with a warm embrace.

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

After some thought, to ease the beautiful woman's mind, Rain took out the silver conch medal that Archbishop Shane had just bestowed upon him from his pocket and handed it to the woman.

The woman's beautiful eyes first looked at Rain in confusion, but when she received the medal and took a closer look, she quickly realized what it was and exclaimed, "This is the silver conch medal of the Goddess of Gale and Sea Church?"

"That's right!"

"This is a very difficult award to receive. Most people who dedicate their lives to the Goddess Church may not even be able to obtain the iron shell medal. Dear, how did you get this medal?" The woman turned her head and asked curiously.

Rain did not answer directly but smiled and asked, "Do you know about the Wilderness Brotherhood?"

The woman nodded, saying, "Of course I do. They are notorious throughout Mystria County. Some time ago, the stores under the Crowley family were also disrupted by the gangsters they sent. I had to spend a lot of effort to resolve the issue."

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

"It's probably Giovanni, nicknamed 'Beast Knight,' with exceptional strength. It's said that he only slightly fears the Great Knight, and even the peak knights are not in his eyes."

The woman, although unsure why Rain suddenly mentioned the Wilderness Brotherhood and Giovanni, quickly responded.

"Very good. Then, do you think Giovanni's strength is stronger, or is Baron Norman's current strength stronger?" Rain asked another question.

"This...is it about the same? It's said that both of them have strength close to that of a Great Knight, and perhaps Giovanni is a little stronger." The woman thought for a moment and replied.

"Yes, weren't you wondering why the Goddess Church awarded me this silver conch medal?"

"Because I killed Giovanni!" Rain smiled at the woman, revealing the answer.

The woman's bright eyes widened instantly, and her cherry-like mouth opened wide enough to fit an egg.

"This...this..." The woman stammered, unable to find the right words.

Obviously, saying 'This is impossible!' wouldn't be appropriate, and saying 'How is this possible?' would be a doubt of Rain's abilities, which the woman naturally wouldn't voice.

However, the woman never expected that her little man's strength had reached such a level.

No! The most terrifying thing was the speed of his improvement!

Rain had only just become a formal knight a few months ago!

Goodness! This was simply unbelievable!

The woman quickly realized why Rain had taken such a roundabout approach.

Her worries instantly dissipated, and her previously worried expression vanished. Her fair skin, with a hint of red, began to glow, and her beautiful eyes, like silk, looked at Rain with deep affection.

Feeling the woman's gaze, Rain felt a surge of male pride well up within him.

Although it was almost dinnertime, the couple, like dry wood and raging fire, quickly took action.

Rain gently placed the woman in front of the window in the study, allowing her to look into the distance, while he lifted her skirt and began to caress her. The anticipation of being interrupted by servants calling them for dinner or other disturbances added a few points to the excitement.

The woman suppressed her gasps, but soon succumbed to the pleasure.

Rain, entering a sage-like state, began to ponder serious matters.

If one only thinks about women and revolves everything around them, then sorry, it will only affect a man's ability to draw his sword.

Rain had long understood this, so these matters were merely a way to spice up his dull cultivation, or to allow him to immerse himself in pleasure and then devote himself to cultivation and combat with a better state of mind.

After reviewing the prerequisites for promoting to the Legendary Weaponsmaster profession panel once again, Rain discovered that besides the first item, three Extraordinary Combat Skills at level 10, what was holding him back was likely the Beast Essence.

The key to reaching level 10 in Extraordinary Combat Skills was primarily through accumulating enough skill points by raising the profession level on the panel. However, for the Beast Essence, it seemed he only knew of one channel.

That was through the County City's Military Supplies Department.

However, he had just thought of a problem. His duel opponent, Baron Norman, was a retired Imperial Navy officer. If he went to the Military Supplies Department openly, the news might quickly reach Norman's ears, and he might create obstacles for Rain or the Beast Essence.

After some thought, Rain looked down and asked,

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

"Is it the Beast Essence potion that knights need to advance to Great Knights? I have two pieces of Beast Heart here if you need the raw materials." Rain added.

Hearing this, Jennifer, who was lying on Rain's chest, lifted her head, and her beautiful eyes blinked in surprise, seemingly unable to believe the man's words.

Although she wasn't a knight, as the authority figure of the Crowley family, she was naturally aware of such common knowledge.

Rain's words clearly implied that he needed the Beast Essence.

This meant that the little man, no, the 'Great' man, was about to break through to the Great Knight level.

But it was only the White Snow Moon, and from Emma, Jennifer knew that Rain had just turned sixteen.

Was he about to become a Great Knight at this age?

Goodness!

She didn't even ask Rain if he had confidence in breaking through to the Great Knight level; instead, she assumed that her little man must have the utmost confidence.

Wait, there's more. Just now, Rain mentioned that he has two ready-made Beast Hearts?

Jennifer felt her mind couldn't keep up with all this information!

Calming her excitement, and for the sake of the young man's important matter, Jennifer seriously contemplated and said in a soft voice:

"There are three ways, but I'm not sure which one is the most suitable."

"Additionally, this involves safety concerns, so ultimately, the decision still rests with you."

As Jennifer spoke, she gently tapped Rain's chest with her fair fingers.

"There are only two Potion Masters in all of Myester County, and one of them isn't skilled in crafting Beast Essence potions. So, in reality, there's only one Potion Master in the county city who can create 'Beast Essence,' and that's Master Holland."

"But the problem is, compared to the masters of the Royal Potionist Association, Master Holland's success rate in potion-making, whether in terms of effectiveness or success rate, is significantly lower."

"If it were a lower-grade potion, it wouldn't be an issue. But Beast Essence is an advanced potion, Jennifer explained.

"I'm afraid the success rate might be concerning, but this should be the fastest method. Normally, if Master Holland agrees, he can complete the Beast Essence within three days."

"Of course, three days later, it might still end in failure."

"The second option is through the Aksen Auction House, a massive auction house spanning the entire empire, rumored to be backed by a top-tier figure in the empire, backed by a powerful figure."

"Perhaps other auction houses don't have the means to obtain Beast Essence, but the Aksen Auction House is highly likely to be able to do so. The price will undoubtedly be extremely high, and the time frame is relatively uncertain—it could be quick, or it might take up to a month."

"Lastly, you can procure it through official imperial channels."

"My dear, as an imperial official and now a baroness, you can directly order the Beast Essence. Of course, providing the Beast Heart can significantly reduce the price, but this method is also the slowest, taking at least a month."

Hearing Jennifer's deep knowledge of these secrets surprised Rain, as if he had unexpectedly stumbled upon a treasure.

He never imagined that this beautiful woman, aside from her captivating beauty, was not just a pretty face. Although she wasn't skilled in combat, her understanding of noble secrets and commercial rumors was impressive.

The analysis she had just provided was extremely helpful to Rain.

"By the way, Jennifer, there's one more thing. Have someone contact Sheriff Hamilton from Flashing Town and tell him that I'd like to discuss something with him."

"Mmm," the beautiful woman replied obediently, leaning on Rain's chest.

Feeling delighted, Rain thought it necessary to continue their deep conversation until a servant announced that dinner was ready, half an hour later.

The radiant beauty, after straightening her messy hair, returned to her elegant lady-like appearance and left the study with Rain.

It must be said that Jennifer was highly efficient. Not long after dinner, Rain met with Sheriff Hamilton, who had just arrived, in his study.

Upon seeing Rain, Hamilton grabbed him and spoke in a low voice, "Do you know about Baron Norman's invitation to a bloody duel?"

Rain nodded, unable to hide a bitter smile.

He then shared some of what Jennifer had told him with Hamilton.

Although Hamilton had already tried to estimate Rain's strength to the best of his abilities, what Rain revealed still shocked him to the core!

Hamilton scrutinized the man before him—the most familiar stranger—and asked, "Rain, did you really defeat Giovanni on your own?"

Even though Rain had already explained it clearly, and the silver conch medal from the Goddess of Sea Church was undeniably real, Hamilton still found it hard to believe. His former subordinate, his deputy Rain, had now reached such heights.

He had to look up to Rain now!

Seeing Rain nod, Hamilton sighed.

But soon, Hamilton adjusted his mindset and said, "However, Rain, you can't be complacent. Baron Norman is an experienced fighter, and his strength is no less than Giovanni's."

"I understand!" Rain nodded.

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

"Sir, I wanted to ask about the process of a knight advancing to a Great Knight. Are there any particular points of concern?" Rain inquired.

"Hmm, you've reached this level already?" Hamilton's eyes widened as he looked intently at Rain.

"It's almost there," Rain nodded.

Hamilton appeared thoughtful but didn't immediately answer Rain's question. After a while, he spoke:

"The biggest difference between a Great Knight and a knight is..."

---

Meanwhile, in a study room within the Habus Earl's mansion.

Michel, the steward of Baron Alonso, was paying a visit to Baron Norman.

"Baron, I bring greetings from Baron Alonso and congratulate you on the restoration of your strength to its peak."

"Please convey my thanks to Baron Alonso," Norman said with restraint, feeling slightly displeased.

If it were before, he might have shown some respect to the eldest son of the Earl's family, Alonso, and his steward, Michel. But now, with his strength restored, things were different.

If Alonso himself had come to offer congratulations, it wouldn't have been excessive, but this time, they had only sent a steward.

Although Michel wasn't particularly skilled, his many years in the noble circle allowed him to guess Baron Norman's true thoughts from his attitude and expression. After some internal grumbling, Michel smiled and said:

"Baron, I have some news that I believe will interest you, concerning your upcoming duel opponent, Rain."

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

In Baron Norman's opinion, with his current strength, he no longer needed to worry about news from Rain's side.

However, since Michel had mentioned it, he might as well listen.

"Rain killed Giovanni, the leader of the Wilderness Brotherhood, known as the 'Beast Knight,' in a one-on-one battle outside the county city today!" Michel's expression turned solemn as he delivered the shocking news.

"What?!" Baron Norman's calm demeanor suddenly transformed, his eyes widening as he blurted out in surprise.

As expected! A hint of a smile crept onto Michel's lips.

You thought you were so powerful after recovering!

You're just a longsword in Baron Alonso's hands, and what we're doing is making this longsword even sharper.

"It's absolutely true, our people witnessed it with their own eyes!" Michel suppressed the smile on his lips and spoke solemnly.

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

He paused, deep in thought.

Beast Knight Giovanni was not only familiar to Baron Norman, but they had also crossed paths long ago due to a family caravan incident.

At that time, even though Norman was not at his peak due to his injuries, he still fell slightly short in the fight. However, Giovanni also respected his strength and retreated voluntarily.

Therefore, even with his current restored peak strength, Norman couldn't guarantee victory over Giovanni.

But Rain had already achieved it.

This news sent Baron Norman's mood plummeting from the peak to the valley.

Initially, he thought the upcoming Bloody Duel would be an easy victory.

No matter how talented Rain was, Norman had planned to cut off his growth by eliminating him beforehand.

However, it seemed he had misjudged Rain's astonishing growth rate!

This level of talent would be considered exceptional even in the provincial capital of Mystria.

After a while, Steward Michel smiled and said, "Baron Alonso's intention is that if you need any assistance, feel free to ask. Our goal is the same—we want you to win the Bloody Duel next week."

Baron Norman nodded.

From this perspective, his original plan needed to be expedited.

His initial idea was to consume the 'Beast Essence' after defeating Rain in the Bloody Duel, aiming to break through to the Great Knight realm in one go.

It was likely his best chance to reach the Great Knight realm at his age.

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

However, with Rain's ability to defeat Giovanni, it seemed that breaking through to the Great Knight realm was the only way to victory!

Two days ago, he had already ordered a bottle of Beast Essence through his private channels, but it would take at least half a month to arrive in Mystria.

Time was running out.

After some thought, Baron Norman spoke, "I need a bottle of Beast Essence as soon as possible! At the latest, I need it by the day before the Bloody Duel. Can you guarantee it?"

"What?!" Michel's face showed surprise, instantly understanding Baron Norman's intention. He was planning to break through to the Great Knight realm ahead of schedule.

If successful, he could crush Rain in the Bloody Duel.

Indeed, a true elite from the Imperial Navy, he had underestimated him. With such determination, he was willing to risk his life for victory!

"Alright, I'll inform Baron Alonso immediately. Although it's challenging, I believe Baron Alonso will find a way."

"We mustn't delay, Baron Norman. I'll take my leave now." Michel, aware of the importance of the matter, chose to depart immediately.

When Michel arrived at Baron Alonso's study and reported the meeting, Baron Alonso contemplated for a moment and said, "There should be a Beast Heart in the family treasury. I'll ask my father for it later, and you can take it to Master Holland."

"Also, contact Aksen Auction House to inquire if they have any Beast Essence. If they do, we must obtain it, no matter the cost."

"Respectfully, Baron!"

---

Midnight, Mystria County, Fishing Harbor Town's seaside.

The moonlight shimmered on the ocean's surface, creating a sparkling scene.

A small boat swiftly glided onto the sandy shore with a 'swish.'

Seven or eight fully-armed burly men quickly jumped off the boat and set up a perimeter. A squad leader-like man whispered, "Admiral Parix, it's safe! You can disembark now."

As soon as the squad leader finished speaking, a pair of polished plate armor boots stepped out of the boat's cabin, crushing a fiddler crab into a pulp on the sand.

Looking up from the polished boots, a burly man wearing half-plate armor emerged from the cabin.

He surveyed the surroundings and asked, "Have you contacted the liaison officer, Magis, in Mystria?"

"Where's the escort?"

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

Apparently, Admiral Parix was not pleased with being assigned to oversee the overall operations in Mystria County.

Disclaimer: Not a lazy author, just a censored one.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end