Chapter 215: Communication

Chapter 215: Communication



Upon seeing Captain Balon, Ren immediately recognized him as a Grand Knight.

Balon's muscular physique, rhythmic stride, and steady, powerful breathing gave Ren the impression of facing an erupting volcano, brimming with danger and explosive power.

Ren was almost certain that Captain Balon's strength surpassed Wald's.

At the very least, Balon was an experienced Grand Knight, or perhaps even a Peak Knight.

However, Ren was still somewhat surprised at this moment.

He had initially assumed that Balon, being a member of the Navy's Special Division and the leader of the Leviathan Squad, would most likely be a formal Wizard. But to his surprise, Balon was still a Grand Knight.

Could it be that there were so few formal Wizards? At least, up until now, Ren had not encountered a single one.

Secondly, even if he won, such a victory would be heavily discounted.

Ren could tell that Trevor was holding back, as he maintained a nearly constant distance from Trevor, almost as if he were intentionally allowing Trevor to attack freely.

Both of them were certain that just a few days ago, when Lord Ren sought to spar with them, although the two of them together couldn't hold out for long, at that time, based on their assessment, Lord Ren hadn't yet reached the level of a Grand Knight.

Balon, being an archer, utilized spells that perfectly suited his role, such as 'Swift Gale' to increase his movement speed and 'Sharpened Shot' to enhance the power of his arrows.

The other members of the Leviathan Squad fixed their gazes on Ren, scrutinizing him intently.

Nathaniel quickly cast a Water Shield Spell on himself and then raised his hand, aiming it at Ren. He began to recite another incantation, his palm facing Ren.

Trevor glanced gratefully at Ren and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Baron Ren!"

Suddenly, Captain Balon spoke up, "Baron Ren, Nathaniel, let's end this sparring session here. We have an urgent mission and need to depart immediately!"

The distance that Ren had quickly closed was now maintained at a constant.

The remaining five members of the Leviathan Squad also prepared to leave.

"No wonder Wald died at their hands."

"We're about to return, and if we miss this opportunity, it'll be difficult to have another chance to exchange experiences with Baron Ren."

Nathaniel, with a thoughtful expression, turned around and began casting spells towards a distant iron-armored dummy.

"I'm fine," Ren nodded.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lieutenant Marika's face turned slightly red, and she clicked her tongue.

After all, once the Leviathan Squad returned, there wouldn't be such a good opportunity for 'communication' again.

It seemed that Captain Balon also wanted to witness his strength.

With seven or eight years of additional training and combat experience, even if Ren had placed first in the ennoblement assessment of Minster Province, he might not have a significant advantage.

(Note: The skill experience mentioned above has already benefited from the exclusive talent 'Basic Extraordinary Insight', providing a 30% boost.) [Congratulations! Your Weapon Master (Legendary) profession level has increased!]



For example, once he learned the Sharpened Shot, he could apply it to his Gleaming Greatsword or Blade Tiger Finger, thereby enhancing his combat power.

Captain Balon laughed heartily and waved his hand dismissively. "Since Wald is already dead, he's just a corpse to us, and a simple one at that, with little significance."

However, he abandoned this thought and instead slightly sidestepped, narrowly dodging the arrow. The sharp arrow grazed Ren's side and struck an iron shield hanging on the wall of the training chamber, corroding it within a second or two. The heavy iron armor was quickly eroded, creating a large hole. One could imagine that even Ren's Water Veil Steel armor set, if hit directly, would suffer significant damage.

By giving his opponent time and allowing them to attack freely, he could gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Leviathan Squad's combat strength.

"But if I were in your shoes, I'd also strive to join the Empire's 'Swordsman' organization. After all, the 'Swordsman' are stronger and have a broader scope of influence than us 'Tidebreakers'."

Within just a few days, Ren had quietly broken through to the level of a Grand Knight, proving himself worthy of being the top-ranked candidate in the ennoblement assessment.

Trevor seemed very familiar with the Swift Gale, reciting the incantation at an incredibly fast pace, completing it in just over a second.

Three minutes passed.

By starting with this squad member who had initiated the challenge, Ren could gain a glimpse into the strength of the Empire's Navy Special Division, which was indeed a good thing.

Due to the involvement of the Empire's Special Division personnel, for the sake of confidentiality, everyone except the Leviathan Squad, Ren, Veronica, and Lieutenant Marika had to temporarily leave the training chamber.

"However, Lord Ren, do you need to rest first?" Nathaniel felt that Ren still had some energy left, but after an intense battle lasting several minutes, he couldn't believe that Ren hadn't expended much energy.

Or perhaps there was another reason.

To become a Grand Knight, one must train diligently until the skills flow naturally.

He knew that this was some kind of spell combined with the archery skills of his opponent.

At this moment, a member of Balon's team behind him suddenly turned around and looked at Ren with an eager expression. He said:

As the battle continued, Ren soon heard the name of the spell, 'Sharpened Shot', from Veronica and Marika's quiet conversation.

So, Ren decided to use his Golden Skill Points to see if he could counteract this negative energy.

Trevor enveloped himself in a light cyan flow of energy, and his movement speed suddenly increased dramatically, even matching that of Ren, the Grand Knight.

Just as Ren was about to use his Golden Skill Points, a member of the Leviathan Squad quickly approached Captain Balon and whispered something in his ear.

Lieutenant Marika, standing next to her, furrowed her brows slightly.

The squad members exchanged a few quiet words, and they all had an expression of sudden realization.

"Captain Balon, fair winds and following seas."

"Trevor, can't you see? Baron Ren is holding back."

"That's a real shame!" Trevor shrugged.

Although the arrows shot by the opponent were occasionally imbued with Sharpened Shot, Ren was able to deflect them continuously. Even the arrows enhanced by Sharpened Shot were directly cleaved by Ren's greatsword.

Ren nodded and asked, "Captain Balon, do you need to take Wald's body back with you?"

Veronica, seeing Ren's appearance, jumped with a slight blush on her cheeks, looking quite excited.

"Yes, 'Tidebreaker', a special division of the Imperial Navy." Lieutenant Marika, standing beside her, introduced with a smile.

Captain Balon nodded at Ren and the others, then quickly led his team away.

Everyone's eyes immediately focused on the two of them, and their expressions varied.

Some other spells, like 'Hot Stand', were difficult to combine with Supernatural Skills.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

"Captain Balon, this is Baron Ren, the magistrate of Fisherman's Harbor." Lieutenant Marika introduced, "Baron Ren, this is Captain Balon of the Imperial Navy's 'Leviathan Squad'."

At this moment, Veronica whispered to Lieutenant Marika, "This is the spell 'Swift Gale', which increases movement speed." Ren's ears twitched slightly, and he immediately understood. At the same time, he remained calm about Veronica's actions.

"I thought Baron Ren was just a Peak Knight."

Moreover, as a naval administrative staff, she had some knowledge about the Imperial Navy's special division, 'Tidebreaker'.

The group soon arrived at the indoor training chamber located behind the town's administrative hall.

As soon as Captain Balon finished speaking, the gazes directed at Ren became noticeably more intense.

Captain Balon's face changed immediately.

This allowed Ren to gain one attribute point and one skill point, leaving him with 6 remaining attribute points and 2 remaining skill points.

The twin-tailed girl paid close attention, wondering if Ren could still win as easily this time. After all, Nathaniel was a relatively pure Level 3 Wizard Apprentice whose combat style leaned more towards wizardry.

"Baron Ren has just been through an intense battle, and your request is not very appropriate at this time."

The battle with Trevor had already given Ren some insight.

At this moment, Captain Balon's voice sounded like the friction of rocks: "Baron Ren, it's an honor to meet you."

Upon hearing this, Ren stopped his intention to use his Golden Skill Points, and Nathaniel also paused the spell he was casting.

In response to Captain Balon's confident judgment, Ren did not deny it. He smiled and said, "I've had some insights these past few days."

As soon as he finished speaking, Trevor began chanting and casting a spell.

Could it be that Lord Ren had suddenly broken through in the past few days? The Leeman Brothers looked puzzled.

Secondly, and very importantly, he also wanted to understand the strength of the Imperial Navy's special division, 'Tidebreaker', and this Leviathan Squad under its command. If he thought that facing Captain Balon would be a difficult battle with little chance of victory...

As soon as the captain finished speaking, Lieutenant Marika's expression turned serious, and she immediately rejected the captain's proposal on Ren's behalf.

Ren smiled and turned to Lieutenant Marika, saying, "Lieutenant Marika, it's a rare opportunity to meet the Leviathan Squad here."

For them, regardless of who killed Wald, the mission would be considered complete.

In terms of power, the strength of these arrows was already comparable to a Peak Knight using a secret skill.

At this moment, Ren had arrived ten meters ahead of Nathaniel, but he vaguely felt that something was amiss.

He had already sensed the cold, negative energy within him, which was gradually dissipating, and its influence on his body was becoming less and less.

Upon hearing Ren's agreement, the young man named Trevor was overjoyed and exclaimed, "That's great, Lord Ren! There should be an indoor training chamber nearby, right?"

The battle remained undecided.

Nathaniel, feeling a bit embarrassed for his squad's consecutive battles with Ren, introduced himself, "Lord Ren, I'm a Third Rank Wizard Apprentice. My magic attacks are quite powerful, so I hope you won't take them head-on."

Ren had originally planned to draw the great sword from his back and directly sever the other's arrows.

"By the way, if you find any items on the opponent that might affect the security of the Empire's waters, please contact Baron Ren immediately. Of course, you can also contact Lieutenant Marika."

Although the second battle had abruptly ended, Ren had also discovered his own shortcomings during the fight.

Soon, the two began their battle.

However, Captain Balon's expression changed.

Ren's eyebrows furrowed at the display of power.

"Clang!" The steel shield was suddenly pierced with a large hole.

Although she knew that Ren had killed Wald, it had been a short time since the great battle ended, and she was concerned that Ren might not have fully recovered his strength and energy.

Trevor fired arrow after arrow infused with the magic 'Sharpened Shot' at Ren.

"Baron, I'm really curious as to how you defeated Wald. So, please forgive my boldness, but may I ask if you have the time now? I'd like to have a brief exchange with you."

However, when it came to himself, aside from the magic 'Hot Stand', which could be combined with his Supernatural Skill relatively well, he didn't have much else to offer.

In simple terms, the magic the opponent used was all centered around him and his Supernatural Skill, closely intertwining with each other.

Regarding the Fish Dragon Squad's immediate support, Ren was still grateful, so he didn't hesitate to return the favor.

This organization should primarily focus on the security of the Empire's waters.

Hearing Ren's explanation, Captain Balon couldn't help but laugh.

Trevor, upon hearing the captain's words, immediately stopped, but he was already drenched in sweat, and he looked at Captain Balon with a puzzled expression.

"So, you're a Grand Knight!"

Captain Balon continued, "Baron Ren, we are grateful for your assistance, which allowed us to complete our mission ahead of schedule."

Soon, he heard Veronica whispering to Marika on the side, "It's the Weaken Curse."

At this moment, Trevor unusually stood his ground and began chanting a spell again. The next second, an arrow imbued with a faint white light shot straight at Ren.

Captain Balon's tiger-like eyes gleamed as he sized up Ren, nodding, "Baron Ren, it seems the previous intelligence was incorrect. Your strength isn't at the peak of Knighthood, but you've already entered the realm of Grand Knighthood."

Ren nodded at Marika.

She remembered that when they were about to depart from Maister County, Ren had carried a wooden box containing the 'Beast Essence' upon leaving the mansion.

【Your Kadalar Fist Technique has improved. Experience Points +348】

At this moment, she was a bit concerned that Ren might not have much experience dealing with such opponents.

Seeing Ren's friendly attitude, Trevor smiled and reminded him, "Lord Ren, my arrows might be powerful, so please be careful."

"I see." Ren nodded.

At that time, she had this question—why did Ren bring that with him to Fish Port Town if he wasn't going to advance to Grand Knighthood? It seemed unlikely.

"However, Lord Ren, you can use this opportunity to claim a reward from the Imperial Navy. Of course, you can also contact Lieutenant Marika."

After all, the battle hadn't concluded yet.

As Ren and Trevor took their positions in the center of the training chamber, another young man from the Fish Dragon Squad approached, holding a short staff. He smiled at Ren and said, "Baron Ren, I'm Nathaniel. After witnessing your exciting spar with Trevor, I'd also like to exchange a few moves with you."

"There's no need. My stamina is quite good, so we can start right away." Ren spoke up.

Suddenly, Ren felt a surge of cold, negative energy invade his body, akin to a curse.

In his opinion, Ren was intentionally leaving him some face, but Ren had his own plans.

Marika was momentarily speechless, her beautiful eyes turning to Ren as if asking, 'Lord Ren, are you sure about this?'

As for Ren, he naturally welcomed these 'experience NPCs' that came knocking on his door.

Due to the Legendary Weapon Master's impending level-up, the spar directly contributed to his advancement, reaching Level 3 (45/500).

"Now it seems that the opponent possesses swordplay skills at the master level, coupled with the strength of a Grand Knight, and with the assistance of a Third Rank Wizard Apprentice, it is reasonable to defeat an injured Wald."

Although she was busy with the navy's clerical work and had not yet married, she was already very familiar with some matters and some double entendres.

Although Ren wanted to face different types of opponents, he didn't want to lose.

The other members of the Leviathan Squad watched this scene, their eyes gleaming with various thoughts.

"Baron Ren, I believe that at your age, to have achieved this level of strength is indeed a rare talent in the Empire. It's a pity that I just heard from Colonel Marika that you declined the invitation from the Southern Sea Fleet."

A pale green mass of foul-smelling liquid shot towards the dummy.

Arrows flew towards Ren, but he didn't draw his greatsword. Instead, he used Blade Tiger Finger to deflect Trevor's arrows.

The Leeman Brothers had already delivered Wald's spoils, including his waist pouch and some potions, to the room, but Ren hadn't had a chance to examine them yet.

However, due to the interference of the arrows, the distance between the two was once again slightly increased.

Ren checked the system prompt: [Your skill Mammoth Sword Technique has improved. Experience Points +233]



"Tidebreaker?"

The Leeman Brothers were surprised by Captain Balon's words.

Ren suddenly felt a sense of weakness in his limbs.

Ren noticed that when the young man named Trevor proposed a match, Captain Balon's expression didn't change, but instead, he seemed to be expecting something.

"Sizzle!"

The same question lingered in Lieutenant Marika's mind, but she soon realized the answer.

"Captain Balon, good day," Ren said with a slight bow.

Trevor pulled back to a considerable distance, raised his silver war bow, and said, "Lord Ren, as I'm an archer, please forgive me. Before the match, I need to maintain a certain distance."

Nathaniel's face lit up with joy as he quickly retreated, reaching into his pocket.

"Of course, follow me."

Ren looked thoughtful, as this was the first time he had heard this name.

Therefore, at this moment, Marika's heart was filled with a bit of worry and concern.

The extremely high selection standards meant that those who made it in were the cream of the crop. Moreover, the young man who was about to face off against Ren was clearly seven or eight years older than him.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end