Chapter 233: Consecutive Five-Level Promotion

Chapter 233: Consecutive Five-Level Promotion



Upon seeing the choice, Rayne didn't hesitate to select 'Yes.'

[Ding! Profession change successful!]



[Successfully changed profession to Deathly Poison Master (Extraordinary)! Constitution -2, Agility +1, Spirit +2! Obtained core skills of Deathly Poison Master (Extraordinary): Lethal Poison Level 1 (Passive) and Poison Resistance Level 1 (Passive).]



[Lethal Poison Level 1 (Passive): Due to your extensive research in poison-making, your poisons are extraordinarily powerful, dealing an additional 30% damage. At the same time, the difficulty of neutralizing your poisons with antidotes or spells like 'Exorcism' is slightly increased.]



[Poison Resistance Level 1 (Passive): Due to your long-term exposure to poisons, you have a strong resistance to ordinary poisons, and your resistance to violent or higher-level poisons is slightly improved.]



Damn!

Constitution -2?

Rayne stared at the notification for his new profession in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes and looked again.

Well, he was pretty sure he hadn't misread it.

The profession change even reduced his Constitution? No wonder it's called Deathly Poison Master; this is truly deadly! Although he gained 2 points in Spirit and 1 point in Agility, considering the 2-point deduction in Constitution, overall, it was only a net gain of 1 point.

It was no different from his previous Alchemist profession change.

Feeling a bit speechless, Rayne shook his head and continued reading. There were two core skills, which was still a plus.

"My poison damage increases by 30%? Well, it seems the system is pushing me towards becoming a 'Lime Martial Saint' or a 'Poison Sword Saint'!"

"However, this Poison Resistance skill is quite useful."

"Knock knock knock!"

Just then, a knock on the door interrupted him.

"Come in!"

Jennifer, the beautiful lady, entered and said, "Darling, it's about time. We should head to the Goddess Church's award ceremony."

"Oh? Right! I almost forgot about it." Rayne realized.

Soon, Rayne, dressed in a carefully prepared suit by Jennifer, attended the award ceremony held by the Goddess Church.

This ceremony was much grander than the previous one, with many nobles and high-ranking members of the Goddess Church from Myester County in attendance.

Rayne soon arrived at the prayer hall of the temple, where the hall, beneath a magnificent vaulted ceiling, was already filled with nobles from Myester County and high-ranking members of the Goddess Church, including Templar Knights.

The aisles and the perimeter of the hall were adorned with colorful flowers, and under the divine spells of the Goddess Church, the flowers bloomed brilliantly, despite it being only the Vitality Moon.

An elderly man, wearing a water-blue robe with thick golden borders and holding a staff, stood at the front of the hall beneath a goddess relief, smiling at Rayne and Jennifer as they entered.

"In the multiple battles against the Black Flame Cult, Baron Rayne has made outstanding contributions, especially in the recent raid where he destroyed the cult's lair in Myester County and killed the high priest!"

"To recognize Baron Rayne's achievements in eradicating evil, I, on behalf of the Goddess Church, bestow upon him the Golden Conch Medal!"

Bishop Shane eloquently spoke while lifting a medal from the tray held by his attendant. The medal, the size of a woman's fist, shone with a golden light.

Before coming, Rayne had learned about the medals of the Goddess Church from Archdeacon Rudolf, from the Iron Shell Medal to the Silver Conch Medal and now, the Golden Conch Medal.

He also learned that this Golden Conch Medal was the highest honor the Goddess Church in Myester County could bestow.

The Golden Conch Medal was slightly larger than the previous Silver Medal, and it also featured a vivid conch shell design.

"May the Goddess bless you, child."

"Thank you, Goddess, and thank you, Bishop Shane!" Rayne respectfully accepted the medal with both hands and, with Jennifer's help, wore it on his chest.

"Baron Rayne, please keep this medal safe. In any part of the empire, wherever there is a temple of the Goddess Church, you can seek and receive assistance."

"This medal also contains the divine spell 'Exorcism,' in addition to the 'Detect Evil' spell. Of course, it can only be used after recharging once its power is depleted." Rudolf explained from the side.

"Sir Rayne, I heard you're about to go to Minster for the Imperial Swordsmen examination." Bishop Shane said.

Rayne's expression brightened, and he slightly bowed to the bishop again, expressing his gratitude.

As Bishop Shane began his chant, many monks in light blue robes also joined in, and the entire prayer hall resonated with their voices in unison!

The scale and solemnity of this ceremony seemed to surpass the previous one.

Perhaps, the Goddess Church wanted to send a signal to the other nobles of Myester County, showing that aiding the church in combating heresy and evil would be rewarded by the Goddess.

The bishop, focusing on Rayne, raised his staff that emitted a dense, dazzling blue light. The next second, the intense blue light enveloped Rayne's entire body. For a while, Rayne stood there, bathed in the dazzling blue light, as a strange, refreshing energy permeated his body.

System Prompt:

[Ding! Detected unknown absorbable energy surrounding the host. Absorb? (Note: Can be converted into specified profession experience points.)



BIG Personality Analysis:

As a personality analysis system, I am not equipped to provide the requested analysis. However, I can offer a creative interpretation of the text provided:

The system prompt suddenly sounded, offering the host an opportunity to absorb an unknown energy source, which could be converted into specified profession experience points. Rayne's heart was filled with joy, as this was similar to the previous instance where the energy could be converted into experience points.

Without hesitation, Rayne mentally affirmed his decision to absorb the energy. Instantly, the dense blue energy was absorbed by him.

The system then displayed the following:

[Congratulations! 3957 points of Extraordinary experience gained. Please select one of the following professions to enhance: Apprentice Wizard (Extraordinary), Beastmaster (Extraordinary), or Deathly Poison Master (Extraordinary).]



Rayne noted that neither the Legendary Weapon Master nor the Armorer were included in the options, as they were considered legendary and ordinary levels, respectively.

This time, Rayne didn't suffer from his difficulty in choosing. By selecting either the Apprentice Wizard (Extraordinary) or Beastmaster (Extraordinary), he would receive a reward of advancing just one level.

However, if he chose the Deathly Poison Master (Extraordinary), he could advance at least four levels.

After selecting the Deathly Poison Master (Extraordinary), Rayne witnessed five consecutive system prompts:

[Congratulations! Your Deathly Poison Master (Extraordinary) profession level has increased!]



[Congratulations! Your Deathly Poison Master (Extraordinary) profession level has increased again!]



Rayne's face lit up with a radiant smile as he saw the Deathly Poison Master (Extraordinary) profession level increase from lv1 (12/100) to lv6 (69/3000) on the panel.

Wow! He had advanced five levels in one go!

This made Rayne feel an overwhelming urge to hug the Goddess.

If he could receive her blessings every now and then, what would be the need to join the Swordsmen? He might as well just stay in the Goddess Church!

Unfortunately, Rayne knew that such good fortune might not come around for years, even if he wished to join the Goddess Church.

This time, he received the blessings because he had eradicated the Black Flame Cult's lair, and the Goddess Church also intended to set him as an example, further expanding their influence.

Rayne checked the remaining attribute points: 13, remaining skill points: 6, and golden skill points: 2 at the bottom of the panel.

Among these, the remaining attributes reached an astonishing 13 points, a two-digit number! However, he needed to carefully consider how to allocate and utilize these points upon returning home.

After the award ceremony, there was a banquet. Following some obligatory exchanges with the nobles, Rayne had a private meeting with Bishop Shane and Archdeacon Rudolf.

The primary reason for this meeting was Rayne's concern about his absence from the county while dealing with the Black Flame Cult.

Although he had uprooted the cult, he had also offended many nobles in the process, and there might still be some who had slipped through the net.

The root cause of this issue was that Rayne's barony had only recently been granted, and his family lacked the necessary background. He didn't have any official knights at his disposal.

Even the Crowley family currently had only one official knight, who was not very reliable.

Hiring external knights would raise questions about their reliability and make it difficult to cultivate and promote them in the future.

One of the advantages of noble families with deep roots is that they often possess a sufficient number of knights with considerable combat prowess due to generations of cultivation and accumulation.

Therefore, during the meeting, Rayne made a request.

Since Rayne had received the Golden Conch Medal, according to the rules, he could request assistance from the local Goddess Church. Bishop Shane agreed to Rayne's request and would dispatch two Templar Knights to temporarily station there for two months.

According to the Goddess Church's regulations, even a recipient of the Golden Conch Medal would not be able to make such a request.

Additionally, Rayne had written a letter two days ago to Has Klein in Rosby County's Rachmond Harbor, hoping he could come to Myester for a while if he had the time.

Calculating the time, Has should be arriving in a few days.

With three knights of such caliber, they should be able to handle any potential ambushes lurking in the shadows.

On the luxurious carriage ride back.

The beautiful woman, Jennifer, spoke to Rayne, "Darling, quite a few nobles and merchants contacted me during the banquet, hoping to invest in the Crowley Merchant Guild.

"Oh?" Rayne raised his eyebrows, thought for a moment, and immediately understood the situation.

Apparently, the fact that the beautiful woman had accompanied him to the Goddess of Wind and Sea Church's award ceremony basically confirmed their close relationship.

He had been enhancing his strength in the manor, living a secluded life, and rarely attended banquets or social events. If he received any invitations or requests, he would mostly decline them or have Jennifer attend on his behalf.

Therefore, they had directed their attention to Jennifer, hoping to strengthen their connection with Rayne through her.

"Jennifer, this is what I think," Rayne said after some thought. "I want to change the guild's name to Hammer and Rose Merchant Guild. Then, we'll sell 40% of the shares."

As Jennifer enthusiastically shared her thoughts, Rayne couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Regarding business matters, Jennifer was experienced and knowledgeable, and he didn't need to worry or intervene.

Of course, Rayne felt that this was a good thing.

After all, he couldn't stay in Myester County forever, protecting the Crowley Clan. So, as long as he didn't cause any trouble, the Lady and the Crowley Clan wouldn't face any major issues.

Moreover, with the addition of these nobles or wealthy merchants, Jennifer's new merchant guild would significantly increase its strength. Many previously impossible business ventures and transportation routes could now be considered.

Once the interests reached a certain level, the combined entity could handle various matters.

Such was the case with the Black Flame Cult and the noble families closely associated with it.

With this, the Crowley Clan's safety in Myester County was no longer Rayne's concern.

Of course, the cultivation of his own lineage was an ongoing process, not something that could bear fruit in a day or two.

"As for you, my dear, just lend your name, and you'll receive 50% of the profits. The rest, I'll split with them." The Lady's eyes sparkled at the thought.

Rayne couldn't help but pause and smile, "No need, Jennifer. I'll split it evenly with you. You can keep my share for now."

"Don't refuse. You've already invested a lot in acquiring those rare minerals." Rayne waved his hand, stopping the Lady from saying more.

"Additionally, I want Jenny to accompany you to Minster. With these nobles and merchants joining, we'll have the strength to transport goods to Minster for sales."

"I believe the goods from the other side of the sea will have a good market in Minster."

Rayne nodded, finding the idea quite good.

After this trip to Minster, he might not return to the county for a short period.

If Jennifer could expand the business to Minster, Rayne could leave various matters to the new merchant guild.

For instance, on this trip to Minster, he planned to bring the Lyntee War Dogs, Blood-Feathered Eagle Beasts, and the Black Horses. Now, with Jennifer's new merchant guild, it was a better choice.

"By the way, my dear, there's another matter."

"It's about the information you asked me to gather regarding the Imperial Swordsmen Organization's examination, and it's almost complete. Most of it came from the Aksen Auction House, and some from other nobles in Myester."

"Oh, let me see," Rayne's eyebrows rose, showing more interest in this matter than business.

Due to his connections, including Sheriff Hamilton, none had ever participated in the Imperial Swordsmen Organization's examination. Naturally, they didn't know the specific format of the examination.

So, Rayne asked the Lady Jennifer to purchase some intelligence through the Aksen Auction House.

The Lady handed him a stack of papers, and Rayne began to read with a hint of excitement.

Although many details were vague due to the Empire's confidentiality regulations, the overall outline of the Swordsmen Organization could still be understood.

First, the Imperial Swordsmen Organization had a long history, established soon after the founding of the Dragoon Empire. It had a history of over 1800 years.

During this time, the name changed a few times. Initially, it seemed to be called the Guardians, affiliated with the Imperial Royalty. Now, it was renamed the Swordsmen, nominally under the Imperial Military, but the records also stated that it was still led by the Imperial Royalty.

In comparison, the Imperial Navy's Tidal Wave Organization had a much shorter history, reportedly only 600 years old.

Rayne's eyes glinted as he read this, pondering.

Indeed, the Imperial Swordsmen Organization's long history explained why the Tidal Wave, the Navy's special department, was modeled after the Swordsmen.

In a sentence, the Swordsmen Organization's function was to protect the Dragoon Empire.

However, the records showed that currently, the Swordsmen mainly dealt with internal issues that were difficult or impossible for other Imperial departments, such as handling cults and special events.

Externally, they were more involved in collecting, competing for, or confronting the Eagle Federation for special resources, or fighting against foreign races beyond the Empire's borders.

"I see." Rayne nodded, feeling he understood to some extent.

If the Navy's Tidal Wave was limited to the Empire's waters, the Swordsmen covered the entire territory and even beyond.

Additionally, Rayne found one unique aspect: unlike the previous noble examination, the Swordsmen Organization provided specialized training.

Apparently, during the examination, the Swordsmen's staff would offer tailored cultivation advice and arrange specific training based on the examinees' characteristics.

"Tailored cultivation," Rayne murmured.

The Lady seemed to recall something, "My dear, there was once someone from Myester County who joined the Imperial Swordsmen, but later, they moved to the capital city of Maestria with their noble family."

(End of Chapter)Action: Lavender Eagle

"However, according to people from several noble families they are acquainted with, one of them joined the Imperial Swordsmen organization and soon after went to study at the Royal Academy for a period of time."

"The Royal Academy?" Rain couldn't help but be a little surprised.

"Yes."

Rain nodded.

Wasn't that where Claire went?

"That's right, Jennifer. You said there were two of them, right?"

"Yes, the other one is said to have gone to study at a Wizard Academy for a whole year. But no one from the nobility could clarify which academy it was. I think it's probably because it's confidential."

After gathering this information, the beautiful woman Jennifer spent a lot of time and effort to discern its authenticity. Although it might not be 100% reliable, the general direction was still accurate, otherwise she wouldn't have come to tell Rain about it.

"A Wizard Academy?" Rain pondered.

In fact, when he read this part, he had some speculations about the Imperial Swordsmen organization's training strategies.

If that's the case, then he... As Rain continued to read through the materials, he found that there was very little information about the Swordsmen's final exam.

However, based on the previous content and what Trevor had told him, he could confirm that the information was mostly accurate, just a bit vague in some parts.

Given Rain's current strength, passing the Swordsmen organization's exam wouldn't be a problem.

Now, he wanted to strive for passing the final exam, but even with Jennifer's deliberately collected information, there wasn't much detail.

However, there were two points that were clear.

First, if one passed the final exam, the resources they would gain and the treatment they would receive were completely different from those who passed the initial exam. In other words, those who passed the final exam would receive better resources and more targeted training.

Second, only those who passed the final exam would have the authority to form their own squads later on.

For Rain, since there was better treatment, it was naturally what he sought.

Additionally, based on how Baron Habsburg treated the two Swordsmen the other day, Rain felt that he might have underestimated the status of the Swordsmen in the Dragoon Empire.

The incident involving over a dozen Deathmaster Nobles in the underground hall of Baron Elliott's mansion didn't cause any waves due to the intervention of those two Swordsmen.

The so-called convening of the Noble Assembly also came to nothing in the end.

Because the relatives of those Deathmasters knew that without Baron Habsburg's approval and with Bishop Shane's opposition, there was no point in holding the assembly.

This made Rain even more eager for the upcoming Swordsmen exam, after all, no one would dislike having a higher status.

The next morning, as the dawn broke, Rain woke up early and began to ponder his talent point allocation strategy.

In fact, he had been thinking about this issue for the past few days, but today he thought about it more thoroughly.

First of all, his strongest combat power still came from being able to use the Great Technique - Shockwave of the Tokkar Hammer Technique. To further enhance his combat power, advancing the Shockwave to the next level was the best choice.

To advance Shockwave to the Intermediate Technique, he needed to spend 2 skill points on the Tokkar Hammer Technique and also raise the Bear King Breath Technique to level 14 or higher.

Finally, 2 skill points were left.

As the remaining skill points decreased from 6 to 2, the Golden skill points decreased from 2 to 1.

Instantly, a vast amount of knowledge about the Tokkar Hammer Technique and the Bear King Breath Technique flooded into Rain's mind.

When Rain came back to his senses, he noticed a crucial system notification quietly appearing:

[Congratulations! You have mastered the Intermediate Technique of the Tokkar Hammer Technique: Shockwave!]



Intermediate Technique!

A smile appeared on Rain's face. Soon, he found that the icon for the Shockwave technique in the Legendary Weapon Master panel had also undergone subtle changes.

The hammer smashing into the ground in the icon seemed to represent an increase in the power of the shockwaves!

The small text in the lower right corner also changed:

Shockwave (Intermediate Technique) Effect: Use a special exertion method that combines primal force and high-frequency vibrations to swing the heavy hammer and deliver a strike with ultra-high-frequency vibrations.

(Note: Shockwave is a Great Technique and cannot be improved through skill points.)



(To advance Shockwave to the Advanced Technique, the following conditions must be met: 1. Tokkar Hammer Technique level 16 or higher (Hammer Proficiency can offset part of the level requirement). 2. Bear King Breath Technique level 16 or higher. 3. Consume 2 Golden skill points.)

Chapter end