Chapter 193: The Power of Master-level Combat Skills
Chapter 193: The Power of Master-level Combat Skills
However, after some thought, Rain decided to give it a try.
He estimated that even if it was slightly off, it shouldn't be too far off.
Rain opened the second volume of Crowley's Armory Crafting Guide, and a design diagram of a set of frost iron armor, emitting a faint blue metallic luster, caught his eye.
Rain began to examine it carefully, selecting the forging area for this set of frost iron armor. Like the chrome iron set, it consisted of eight pieces.
After some deliberation, Rain chose the frost iron shoulder guards. According to the design diagram, these shoulder guards resembled two curved hoods that could be cast in one piece.
Unlike the shoulder guards of other sets, which had multiple armor plates, these were simpler.
Soon, Rain began to smelt the frost iron ingots. Due to the extremely high flame resistance of frost iron, the smelting temperature was abnormally high. Fortunately, Rain had the Incendiary Touch spell to assist, otherwise, the forge alone would have been insufficient!
Half an hour later, the system announced the completion of the shoulder guard forging, and Rain gained new insights.
Rain learned a new skill: Shoulder Guard Crafting.
His Shoulder Guard Crafting skill increased, gaining 24 experience points.
Rain's focus on the frost iron shoulder guard forging earned him 138 experience points in Armorer.
Hey! Rain's eyes lit up!
The experience reward was quite generous!
It seemed that equipment crafted from rare minerals was highly valued by the system, far surpassing that of ordinary mineral-crafted gear.
With this, Rain had a chance to reach Armorer level 5 before running out of frost iron ingots and ore.
Without hesitation, Rain got to work with renewed motivation.
However, after more than an hour, Rain encountered another problem.
Smelting frost iron required continuous support from the Incendiary Touch spell, and the mental energy consumed during this process far exceeded that of smelting ordinary iron ingots. After just over an hour, Rain's mental energy was almost depleted.
After some thought, Rain decided to allocate a point to the Mental attribute.
This was because increasing Mental energy would also enhance the power of the Incendiary Touch spell, and allocating a point would restore his peak state, allowing him to continue smelting without interruption.
Lastly, Rain considered that he was only two Will Runes away from fulfilling the requirement of envisioning twenty-four Will Runes at once, which would allow him to advance to the third level of Apprentice Wizard.
As he allocated the point, his remaining attribute points decreased from 6 to 5, and his Mental energy increased from 25 to 26.
Instantly, Rain felt his mind become exceptionally clear, and the fatigue from the previous mental exhaustion vanished!
As he continued smelting, Rain discovered that the Incendiary Touch spell indeed became more potent after the attribute point allocation, making the smelting process more manageable.
Two hours later, with the Armorer profession level already two-thirds complete, Rain, once again, decided to allocate another point to the Mental attribute.
As the remaining attribute points decreased from 5 to 4, his Mental energy increased from 26 to 27.
With renewed vigor, Rain continued his work.
Half a day later, the system announced:
"Congratulations! Your Armorer profession level increased!"
Rain's Armorer profession level finally reached level 5, granting him one attribute point and one skill point as rewards.
As a result, the remaining attribute points on the system panel increased to 5, and the remaining skill points reached 6.
Rain excitedly gazed at the 6 remaining skill points!
Finally, he had gathered enough for 6 points!
By allocating 3 points each to Bear Swordsmanship and Tokkar Hammer Technique, he could immediately raise two Extraordinary Combat Skills to level 10.
After a brief rest, Rain focused on the Extraordinary Knight panel, his large hands gripping the icon with a hammer pattern—Tokkar Hammer Technique lv7 (2724/5000).
Since reaching level 6 in Tokkar Hammer Technique, the two accompanying effects, Shockwave and Accuracy, had both reached level 2.
Once the technique reached level 10, it would unlock the next tier of effects:
"Note: Tokkar Hammer Technique unlocks Shockwave lv3. Requirements: Tokkar Hammer Technique lv9 or higher; Bear King Breath lv9 or higher."
"Note: Tokkar Hammer Technique unlocks Accuracy lv3. Requirements: Tokkar Hammer Technique lv9 or higher; Strength 22, Agility 18 or higher."
Both of these level 3 effects required the technique to reach level 9.
Referring to the previous level 2 effects, which were capable of slaying ferocious sea beasts, the power of the level 3 effects was even more impressive!
As Rain silently allocated the skill point, the remaining skill points decreased from 6 to 4, Tokkar Hammer Technique immediately jumped to level 10.
Instantly, a flood of memories related to Tokkar Hammer Technique poured into Rain's mind.
These fragmented memories of hammer technique training were almost instantly connected in Rain's mind, forming a short film that quickly integrated into his muscle memory.
However, the volume of these memories was quite substantial, and Rain took a moment to process them.
It was as if he had undergone years of intense Tokkar Hammer Technique training, and all that experience from those years had been compressed into a few seconds and poured into his mind.
Rain glanced at the technique, and indeed, the two effects, 'Shockwave' and 'Accuracy,' had both advanced to level 3.
Rain examined them closely, and the new text descriptions for both effects were similar, with the main difference between level 3 and level 2 being a change from 'slight' to 'significant.'
In other words, the power had increased further!
Considering that the Legendary Weapon Master profession panel required Extraordinary Combat Skills to reach level 10, Rain, after a brief rest, allocated another skill point to Tokkar Hammer Technique.
As the technique reached level 10, suddenly, Rain felt a prolonged sensation of mastering the 'Unbreakable Force.' The feeling in his hands was distinctly different from before.
At this moment, two unexpected system prompts appeared, startling Rayne.
【Ding! Host's Tokkar Hammer Technique reaches lv10, unlocking the Master-level Hammer Combat Skill Effect: Multi-Shockwave (Passive), overriding the original effect: Shockwave lv3.】
【Multi-Shockwave (Passive) Effect: Your mastery of hammer-type weapons and Prime Force is exceptional, allowing you to deal multiple shockwave damage.】
(Note: This effect is only effective when using blunt-ended hammer-type weapons.)
(Note: The effect is proportional to the host's Prime Force, strength, specialization, and combat skill level.)
【Ding! Host's Tokkar Hammer Technique reaches lv10, unlocking the Heavy Weapon Effect: Light as a Feather (Passive).】
【Light as a Feather (Passive) Effect: Your proficiency with heavy weapons is exceptional, allowing you to wield them with ease, increasing your attack speed by an additional 20%.】
(Note: Only effective when using heavy weapons.)
Rayne's heart raced with excitement!
First, the power of Multi-Shockwave was evident from the description, surpassing Shockwave lv3 by far.
Although Shockwave lv3 was a powerful effect, it only dealt a single shockwave damage, which could be blocked by armor or other defenses. Multi-Shockwave, on the other hand, could penetrate thick armor and attack the enemy's interior.
The second effect was even more astonishing!
Two-handed war hammers often suffered from being too heavy, and while their weight contributed to their power, it also made them slower than one-handed swords and other lighter weapons.
However, the Light as a Feather (Passive) effect compensated for this weakness.
Wait!
Heavy weapons? Rayne noticed the change in wording.
His Hammer Technique had reached lv10, but instead of unlocking a hammer-specific combat skill effect, it expanded to all heavy weapons. Suddenly, the words "touching upon all" caught Rayne's attention.
This realization made Rayne understand why the Weapon Master (Legendary) profession required reaching lv10 in three different weapon categories.
Rayne looked at his skill panel again, and saw the following: Tokkar Hammer Technique lv10 (2724/20000), with the additional effects: Light as a Feather, Multi-Shockwave, and Precision lv3.
With a single swing, three effects were activated!
Impressive!
Rayne turned around, picked up a newly forged light blue frost iron shoulder guard, and placed it on a solid log. Then, with only half his strength, he swung the pig-headed mace towards it.
"Bang!"
The light blue frost iron shoulder guard shattered, but what was more surprising was that the log underneath, which should have been protected and weakened by the frost iron armor, was almost completely destroyed, even more damaged than the shoulder guard itself.
As Rayne removed the shattered shoulder guard, he discovered that the log was in worse condition than the shoulder guard, almost reduced to splinters.
Rayne couldn't help but feel amazed!
Was this the power of Multi-Shockwave? It was terrifying! He could clearly feel that his strike had unleashed at least two layers of lv3 shockwave power, shattering the armor and then the wood.
If he used his full strength, he would likely be able to unleash three or even more layers of shockwave power.
Calming his excitement, Rayne turned his attention to Bear Swordsmanship.
If Tokkar Hammer Technique at lv10 brought such a surprise, then reaching lv10 in Bear Swordsmanship would surely...
Rayne's eyes lit up with anticipation.
As he allocated his skill points, the remaining points on the attribute panel decreased from 3 to 0, and Bear Swordsmanship instantly jumped from lv7 to lv10.
With a surge of memories, two system prompts appeared:
【Ding! Host's Bear Swordsmanship reaches lv10, unlocking the Master-level Sword Combat Skill Effect: Blade Mastery (Passive), overriding the original effect: Sharpness lv3.】
【Blade Mastery (Passive) Effect: Your mastery of sword-type weapons and Prime Force is exceptional, allowing you to easily slice through ordinary steel weapons and armor.】
(Note: Only effective when using sword-type weapons.)
(Note: The effect is proportional to the host's weapon type, Prime Force, strength, specialization, and combat skill level.)
【Ding! Host's Bear Swordsmanship reaches lv10, unlocking the Sharp Weapon Effect: Break Limit (Passive).】
【Break Limit (Passive) Effect: Your proficiency with sharp weapons is exceptional, significantly increasing the power of your attacks.】
(Note: Only effective when using sharp weapons.)
Rayne's face lit up with joy as he looked at the Bear Swordsmanship skill panel, which now showed: Bear Swordsmanship lv10 (3023/20000), with the additional effects: Blade Mastery, Break Limit, and Precision lv3.
With three effects activated, Rayne couldn't help but feel a slight itch to try them out. He swung the faintly glowing giant sword towards the light blue frost iron shoulder guard and sliced downwards.
"Swoosh!"
The shoulder guard, forged from rare minerals, was sliced in two.
The power of Blade Mastery and Break Limit combined, allowing him to slice through even armor made from special minerals.
However, Rayne felt that the power of the two-handed warhammer was still greater than that of the giant sword.
After a moment of thought, Rayne understood that this might be due to the lv3 specialization in hammers, as both 'Multi-Shockwave' and 'Blade Mastery' had their power linked to the specialization level.
In addition, the system's description of 'heavy weapons' and 'sharp weapons' made Rain feel as if he was gradually uncovering the mysterious veil of the Weapon Master (Legendary) profession.
He vaguely understood that the core skills or professional characteristics of this legendary profession might be.
After some thought, Rain realized another interesting aspect.
Generally speaking, to reach the master level in a particular weapon, even with considerable talent, one would need to dedicate two or three decades of hard work. In terms of difficulty, it was no easier than becoming a Great Knight, perhaps even more challenging.
But now, Rain's mastery of both the greatsword and the two-handed war hammer had reached the master level. This was equivalent to the skill level of a knight with sword and hammer talents after fifty or sixty years of practice.
It was too terrifying to have such a cheat! Moreover, the combat power of this 'Quasi Weaponsmaster' was even more formidable than Rain had anticipated.
If he were to face Giovanni again, whose transformed strength was comparable to a Great Knight, Rain believed he could withstand three or even one hammer strike and knock him down!
As for Norman, Rain was looking forward to him advancing to the Great Knight rank.
Otherwise, the duel would be too uninteresting.
Norman Baron's Mansion.
All the guards in the mansion were fully armed, vigilantly patrolling the perimeter of the villa.
Meanwhile, Dennis was pacing back and forth at the entrance of the indoor training room, his face filled with anxiety.
Just moments ago, his father, Baron Norman, had decided to take the high-level magic potion 'Beast Essence' to challenge the Great Knight rank!
Before this, Dennis's emotions were like a rollercoaster, going up and down.
In the previous days, when his father successfully regained his peak strength, Dennis was so excited that he couldn't sleep for several nights. He believed that his father's victory over Rain in the bloody duel was almost certain.
But he hadn't anticipated the situation would quickly turn around again. It was said that Rain's strength was improving rapidly, and even his father at his peak might not be able to defeat Rain, with a winning chance of only 40%.
This news struck Dennis like a bolt of lightning!
He couldn't imagine what would happen to his father, Baron Norman, if he lost the bloody duel, and the consequences for him and his family.
Dennis's strength was only at the Knight Apprentice level, not even a full-fledged knight, and he didn't have the capability to support a baron family.
Among the nobility, relationships were maintained not only through marriage but also through strength. If one's strength was insufficient, they would have to give up some interests, inevitably leading to the decline of the Norman family, especially with so many enemies.
"Clap!" Baron Norman strode out of the indoor training room, his spirit shining.
"Father, did you succeed?" Seeing this, Dennis couldn't help but ask.
"Great! Great! Father, you've finally become a Great Knight!" Witnessing this, Dennis was overjoyed, murmuring to himself.
It seemed that the Goddess of Luck was on their side, on the side of the Norman family!
"Rain! You're dead!" Dennis shouted in his heart.
He couldn't wait for the bloody duel to begin.
Unfortunately, they still had to wait until the day after tomorrow.
"You few, come with me!" Baron Norman called out to several of his trusted followers.
Immediately, Dennis and the others curiously followed Norman into the indoor training ground.
"Take the bow and shoot at me!" Baron Norman crossed his arms behind his back, assuming a stance of fighting barehanded.
The trusted followers were taken aback, looking at each other in confusion, unsure whether to obey or refuse. At this moment, Baron Norman was unarmed, only wearing noble hunter's garb, with no protection whatsoever.
Dennis immediately guessed that his father wanted to test the combat power of the Great Knight level, so he quickly urged, "Don't worry, with Father's speed, even if you aim, you won't be able to hit him."
"Yes, sir!"
"Baron, please be careful!"
The trusted followers, who were at the Knight Apprentice level, realized what was happening and immediately picked up a strong bow from the side, aiming at Baron Norman and shooting.
"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"
What happened next shocked them.
The arrows, shot with almost full force, seemed to be blocked by an invisible shield in front of Baron Norman. After the inertia dissipated, the arrows dropped helplessly to the ground.
Dennis became more and more excited as he watched.
This was the Great Knight, the Great Knight!
The Great Knight could stand invincible against lower-level enemies due to their pure force!
This time, victory was certain!
"Dennis, regarding my breakthrough, be sure to keep it confidential." Baron Norman instructed.
"Yes, Father!" Dennis nodded.
"By the way, what's happening on Rain's side?" Norman asked, as if something had occurred to him.
"For five consecutive days, he's been at the blacksmith shop." Dennis reported immediately.
Although he was initially puzzled, the fact was that several spies from the Norman family had confirmed it. Rain had been visiting the blacksmith shop regularly, and his schedule was extremely disciplined.
If someone didn't know Rain, they might even mistake him for a blacksmith!
However, this unusual behavior also puzzled many people.
But after Dennis bribed a blacksmith apprentice from the Crowley family's blacksmith shop, he learned from the apprentice's mouth that Rain seemed to be crafting knight plate armor.
Suddenly, a thought popped into Dennis's mind.
Could it be that Rain had obtained some rare ore and wanted to craft a set of highly defensive plate armor to counter him?
As Dennis thought more about it, he felt that this possibility was quite high.
With the progress of the investigation, Dennis discovered that the Crowley family was secretly collecting Frost Iron Ore, which further convinced him without a doubt.
"Hmm? All at the blacksmith shop?" Baron Norman was taken aback.
In his opinion, Rain must also be carefully preparing, either by diligently practicing combat skills or by breaking through. How could he be at the blacksmith shop every day?
This...
Seeing the confusion on his father's face, Dennis immediately shared his speculation with the Baron.
"Father, Rain is probably forging a set of rare mineral-quality knight armor. Perhaps he believes this will increase his chances of winning."
"I see." Baron Norman pondered for a moment and then understood.
This made sense. Strength enhancement often required years of diligent practice, and it was usually difficult to achieve significant changes in a short period. Acquiring a fine weapon or a set of quality armor often increased the odds of winning.
This was also a common practice before a duel.
"By the way, Father, the news of your bloody duel with Rain is spreading like wildfire outside. You may not know this, but several merchant guilds have joined forces to open a betting market, wagering on the outcome between you and Rain."
"Currently, since the news of your breakthrough to Great Knight hasn't spread yet, the current odds are even between you and Rain."
"You mean, should we..." Dennis looked at his father, Baron Norman, with great anticipation.
"Yes, let's bet all our liquid assets, and even mortgage the eight shops under our family name in the county town." Baron Norman thought for a moment and then nodded, agreeing to his son's suggestion.
If before this, he had only a 50% confidence in an absolute victory.
Now, he had nearly 100% confidence in winning the duel!
---
An hour later, in Alonso's study.
"Wonderful! With your promotion to Great Knight, you will undoubtedly win this duel." Baron Alonso couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"By the way, Dennis, are you interested in joining my merchant guild for a part-time position?"
Hearing this, Dennis's heart raced, and a slight smile curled up at the corners of his mouth.
Of course, he knew this was Baron Alonso's gesture of goodwill.
Although it was called a part-time job, it was essentially getting paid for doing nothing.
It seemed that the influence of his father becoming a Great Knight was already taking effect.
"Of course, thank you for your appreciation, Baron." Dennis bowed slightly in gratitude.
"Also, my father is very grateful for your help in acquiring that bottle of Beast Essence. The related fees will be sent to you after the duel."
"Haha, Baron Norman is too kind. There's no rush." Feeling great, Baron Alonso waved his hand and said.
After Dennis left, Baron Alonso turned to his steward, Michel, and said, "The news of Baron Norman's promotion to Great Knight won't stay hidden for long. Michel, how much liquid assets do we have?"
After a moment of thought, Michel quickly reported a number:
"We have spent a significant amount on the acquisition of a bottle of Beast Essence at Aksen Auction House, under Baron Norman's name."
"Additionally, we spent a considerable sum on Master Holland's assistance in creating the Beast Essence, but this is likely to be a profitable venture. Once it's successfully crafted, its value will be immense." Michel added.
Baron Alonso was pleased with Michel's professionalism, stroking the signet ring in his hand and nodding, "Very good! Let's bet 18,000 gold coins!"
"Yes, my lord. I'll take care of it immediately." Steward Michel smiled, bowed, and left.
---
Rain's new mansion.
Jenny, wearing a floral white skirt, quickly ran to the room where the beautiful woman was, holding up her long skirt.
As soon as she entered, she spoke to the woman with a hint of urgency:
"Mother, I just heard that Baron Norman has successfully become a Great Knight. Is that true?"
Due to the recent vigilance of the Norman family, Jenny hadn't been able to gather any useful information, so she asked her mother to inquire from her close friend, Agatha, whose family owned a large merchant guild and was one of the joint guilds that opened the betting market.
"By the way, Mother, doesn't Lord Rain seem a bit off lately?"
"Look at him, spending all his time at the blacksmith shop. You know, the bloody duel is just two days away."
"Could Lord Rain be underestimating Baron Norman?"
Hearing her daughter's question, the woman's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she said, "I was worried about him, but I noticed that his gaze towards me lacks concern or fear. Instead, it's more of..."
How to describe it?
Joy? Happiness? To be precise, it seems like...
A hunter's delight at the sight of prey! But how could that be possible?
The woman was a bit puzzled.
However, she quickly adjusted her mindset and nodded, "Although I can't be a hundred percent sure, Baron Norman's family has bet a significant portion of their assets. It's evident that they are highly confident about winning the duel."
"It's clear that they believe they have a high chance of victory."
Lord Rain smiled and nodded, saying to the woman, "Excellent, this might be a rare opportunity for us to make a profit."
(End of Chapter)
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