Chapter 239: Metal Magic Exchange Conditions

Chapter 239: Metal Magic Exchange Conditions



"If lost, please report it immediately."

At this moment, the middle-aged Grand Knight instructed an attendant to distribute the Swordbearer emblems to everyone. Since each emblem had the name of its owner engraved on the back, Ren soon received his own Swordbearer emblem.

However, the color and size of his Swordbearer emblem were slightly different from those of the others.

Ren glanced around and noticed that the emblems of the others, including Veronica, were made of a dark metal material, about the size of a coin. In contrast, his emblem was a circle larger than the coin and emanated a faint yellow metallic luster.

Apparently, this was probably due to the reason the middle-aged Grand Knight had just mentioned—he was receiving the treatment of a Bronze Rank Swordbearer.

Different levels, different emblem styles.

After everyone had received their emblems, the middle-aged Grand Knight continued, "Here, I'd like to emphasize the significance of the second round of exams and that not everyone is suitable to participate."

Hearing this, Ren nodded slightly. Could he finally inquire about the special item exchange list?

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Ren nodded.

The question was whether the Gold Rank privileges were sufficient to access the information.

"Dismissed!"

Because for him, he could excel in both the spear and shield roles of the team, and also serve as the team's marksman.

Ren walked into the partitioned area and noticed a black slate on the table, about thirty to forty centimeters in length and width, constantly emitting magical light. It seemed that a certain spell had been solidified within it.

Ren observed that in addition to Kalem, there were six or seven middle-aged individuals with steady auras who had arrived in the hall that afternoon. Some wore knight armor, some held short staves and donned wizard robes, and others were dressed as archers.

"It's simple. Even if you are a Silver or Gold Rank, you may excel in one aspect but have very obvious weaknesses, making it easy for enemies to launch fatal attacks."

"Captains are different. They represent individuals who have undergone examinations and are recognized by the organization for their well-rounded abilities, almost capable of solving problems independently."

"We will not charge merit points for the one-month newcomer special training. However, in the future, if you wish to seek guidance from instructors or masters, it will cost a significant amount of merit points, or even precious task evaluation medals."

"For example, let's say you're an elite archer, but if you encounter a countering magic like Fog Spell and the enemy launches a surprise attack, it will be difficult to defend against."

"Regarding this, you can gradually understand it on your own in the future." Kalem couldn't help but smile as he saw the eagerness in everyone's eyes.

At this moment, Kalem paused, seemingly allowing everyone to digest what he had just said, before continuing, "The second round of exams will take place one month later, on the first day of the Month of a Hundred Flowers."

They couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. In an instant, they felt a sense of loss in their hearts. They realized that their team of five rugged men couldn't compare to the other team's combination of two beauties. Moreover, the other team had two different types of beauties.

"Sir Ren, do you intend to have just three people in your team?" Verri, having regained her composure, asked.

To put it bluntly, with his profession as a Legendary Weapon Master, he could take on any physical attack role within the team.

Ren's eyebrows rose in surprise, and after a moment of thought, he continued, "Can you show me the relevant information? For example, the magic details and exchange prices."

"You've reached the top in one go!"

Since he hadn't received the emblem yet, Ren couldn't move freely within the Swordbearer Division. Therefore, this was his first time entering the division's interior.

As early as when he was on a joint mission with the Southern Sea Fleet, he had heard Veronica mention that the 'Tidewalker' was modeled after the 'Swordbearer'. Now it seemed more like a complete replication.

Coins were easy to earn, but merit points were not. Almost no one would choose to pay with merit points.

Kalem stretched out his hands and pressed them into the air twice, and as the crowd quieted down, he continued, "The difference lies in the fact that as a regular member, even if you are promoted to the Silver or Gold rank, you are not eligible to form a squad or accept squad missions."

"Hmm? Haven't you learned about this yet, Lord Rayn? Let me give you a brief introduction then." Verrie and Angus exchanged glances, and Angus spoke up.

Earlier in the morning, Rayn had heard Kalem mention that if one had previously served in an official functional department, merit points could be transferred. Fortunately, this was something Rayn had always met.

If he didn't take this opportunity to improve himself within this month, he might not get such a good chance again.

If he could control metal transformation, wouldn't he be able to transform a warhammer into a great sword or even a war bow? After a moment of thought, Rayn's heart leaped with joy! From the description of this transformation spell, it meant that once he mastered it, he wouldn't need to carry multiple weapons anymore.

There were four or five young women in uniforms at the window, helping many people with item exchanges.

Just as Rayn was about to leave, Angus, Verrie, and a few others approached with smiles, saying, "Lord Rayn, now that everyone has obtained their emblems and become official Swordbearers, how about we have a meal together in a private room on the second floor of the restaurant?"

However, the specifics would only be clear after the magic exchange was completed.

At 2 p.m.

For a talented young man like Rayn, although he was ten years younger, it didn't stop him from taking the initiative to befriend him. Today was a good opportunity.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Kalem scanned the group and said, "When your name is called, step forward."

Veronica was a water wizard specializing in bird modification, so it was no problem for her.

As Rayn entered, he found that the ceiling was over six meters high, as if the first and second floors had been combined, creating an incredibly spacious area similar to the government office halls of his previous life.

After hearing this, Rayn was stunned. The two women beside him, Veronica and Evelyn, also paused with their knives and forks, and their beautiful eyes fixed on the muscular young men.

"Hmm? Are there any restrictions or requirements on the number of squad members?" Rayn hadn't really learned about this aspect, and according to Kalem, the general knowledge courses wouldn't start until the next morning.

The girl placed the emblem in a specially designed slot, and soon, some white text appeared on the black slate in front of Rayn.

In that case, even if the magic 'Metal Transformation' could transform the warhammer into a great sword, would the sharpness of the great sword be affected? From this perspective, perhaps Rayn would need to find a special metal in the future that didn't require tempering, allowing him to switch between blunt and sharp weapons.

"By the way, Lord Rayn can inquire about items with a rank of Gold and below," Kalem smiled and glanced at Rayn, adding.

The food in the restaurant was excellent, and they could pay with either imperial coins or merit points.

"Are you inquiring about metal magic?"

This would reduce his overall load by more than half.

Hearing the latter part of the Grand Knight's words, most of the people present showed puzzled expressions.

The two women readily agreed, and soon, the eight of them arrived at a private dining room on the second floor of the Newcomer Tower for their meal.

"During this one-month period, the organization will provide free training for newcomers. The training content will be based on your performance in the preliminary exam and will also take into account your preferences."

Rayn nodded and handed over his freshly minted bronze emblem to the examiner.

The production of blunt weapons, however, was different.

What kind of weird squad is this? Rayn couldn't help but mutter to himself, "This is a pure kitchen knife squad."

"You had a collaborative combat record with the Imperial Navy recently, and there are two entries of merit points," the girl seemed to have noticed Rayn's confusion and spoke up.

Although Angus was a bigger man than Rayn, he was a sturdy fellow who had been tempered by his long service in the Imperial Army, and he was as sharp as a needle.

There was a significant gap in merit points, but the bigger issue was the task evaluation medal.

Angus asked, "Lord Rayn, you're the first among us to have captain privileges. What kind of team members do you plan to choose?"

"First, the personnel under Instructor Kurman's guidance, Rayn, and Jonas."

Although he had wanted to inquire about metal magic right away, it was already close to lunchtime, and the inquiry process might take some time.

"It will start at 2 p.m. today, and the location is still here."

Kalem paused, perhaps to emphasize the importance of this training opportunity, and added:

"You're too kind, my lord," the girl stood up again and bowed, seeing Rayn off.

"I'd like to inquire about Metal-type Wizardry."

"Of course, Lord Rayn. I've displayed the effects of the 'Metal Transformation Spell' on the Wisdom Slate. Please take a look."

Upon hearing Angus' words, Rayn furrowed his brows in confusion, but as he followed the man's gaze, he suddenly understood!

Evidently, most people had realized that this one-month-long newcomer training was essentially a welfare program.

Rayn contemplated the text before him, deep in thought.

"As for the organization's special item exchange directory, each person can only inquire about items within their rank plus two levels. You've just received the Black Iron rank, which means you can only view details of Silver rank items and below."

With this, his physical exhaustion would be greatly reduced, and more importantly, his speed would receive a significant boost. Overall, it held great significance! But Rayn suddenly thought of something, his expression changing as he asked, "Can I view the 'Metal Transformation Spell' scroll?"

In a moment, he planned to inquire about the exchange requirements for Metal-type Wizardry.

This caused several people in the room to shift their gazes towards Rayn once again. Rayn was taken aback! He thought, Alright! Instructor, your gesture of goodwill has earned me quite some enmity. "As for the directory's valuable items, it's all-encompassing. Rare potions, special ingredients, and even various Extraordinary Battle Techniques and Wizardry are available, but most exchanges require Task Evaluation Medals, not just Merit Points."

"Rayn is a Bronze Rank Captain." The middle-aged Grand Knight affirmed.

To be honest, Rayn had considered this question, but he hadn't made a decision yet. He shook his head slightly, "I haven't decided yet. What about you?"

The hall fell silent for a second before erupting into a buzz again!

The flawless version is on 69 Book Bar! 6=9+Book_Bar.

"During this one-month period, you can carefully consider your own positioning and whether you want to participate in the preliminary exam."

This time, the guard, after examining Rayn's emblem, promptly granted him access.

After all, he wasn't an octopus, and it was impossible to wield a two-handed greatsword, a two-handed mace, and other weapons simultaneously.

Rayn checked the time and headed towards the hall of the Newcomer Tower.

"Of course, it's my honor, Sir Rayn." The red-haired beauty, Evelyn, smiled and readily agreed.

"Oh, I'd like to invite the two lovely ladies beside me to join my team."

During combat, he only needed to carry one weapon, such as the heaviest two-handed mace.

Augustus was very strong, ranking among the top three in this batch. Passing the preliminary exam to become a Swordbearer Captain would be no problem.

Rayn didn't have to wait long before it was his turn.

Actually, Rayn had thought about inviting the two girls to join the soon-to-be-formed team.

"Instructor Kalem, when will our special training begin?" Verrie, the young man who had sparred with Rayn before, asked.

Angus' explanation was quite detailed, and Rayn nodded frequently as he listened.

Soon, the girl's eyes lit up, and she said, "Sir, I've found it! The Metal-type Wizardry you're looking for is called 'Metal Transformation Spell,' and it's the only one available at Gold rank and below."

Therefore, the best choice to partner with him was a Level 3 Wizard Apprentice, who could make up for his shortcomings in Wizardry.

"Hmm?" Rayn was taken aback by the number, which was much higher than he had anticipated.

Following the signposts, Rayn turned right and walked for a while before arriving at the Special Item Exchange Hall of the Swordbearer Division for the first time.

This was a three-story building standing alone, with an exterior made of white rectangular stones, consistent with the style and color of the entire division. It was majestic and imposing.

After the girl spoke, the black slate in front of Rayn suddenly updated with several lines of small white text: "Metal Transformation Spell: A first-level Wizardry that consumes a certain amount of mental power to alter the metal touched by the caster according to a specific Wizardry model."

Additionally, these individuals had accompanied him in sparring for three consecutive days. At this moment, Angus, with a meaningful look, asked Rayn, "Sir Rayn, do you need to invite anyone else?"

As if remembering something, Kalem reminded him,

Although Evelyn was a dual cultivator, her Senior Grand Knight strength was not impressive among Swordbearers. She passed the Obsidian Golem test primarily due to her Fire-type Wizardry, 'Flame Acceleration,' so she was more inclined towards Wizardry.

"Just the five of us, planning to form a team for the time being!" Augustus laughed and said.

Rayn pondered for a moment before smiling and nodding, "Alright!"

Although the middle-aged Grand Knight had already mentioned that Rayn was guaranteed to become a Swordbearer Captain with Bronze rank treatment, there were still some who felt discontent and wanted to confirm it again.

"Thank you, I have no further questions."

Because he had just thought of another issue: from a forging perspective, the crafting techniques for bladed weapons and blunt weapons were different. One of the most noticeable differences was that bladed weapons typically underwent multiple tempering processes to strengthen their surfaces.

(End of Chapter)

Ren had gradually grown accustomed to the attention, and his expression remained calm. It was then that he learned the name of the middle-aged Grand Knight was Kalem.

The Newcomer Tower where Ren had been staying these past few days was located at the entrance of the Swordbearer Division, to the left of the majestic building he had seen.

Even their names were identical. "I'm currently at the Black Iron Rank, and according to what Sir Kalem just said, I can inquire about the exchange details of Special Items up to the Gold Rank."

Ren nodded.

"Generally, the number of members in a Swordbearer squad ranges from three to five. This number has been tested, as more members mean fewer Task Evaluation Medals and Merit Points for each person, while fewer members result in insufficient squad combat strength."

The girl quickly reported a number: "2,736 points!"

"Additionally, promotions follow a three-tier system. For example, as Sir Ren is currently a Bronze Rank Captain, he can be promoted to the Silver Rank after obtaining three Bronze Medals and can then undertake Silver Rank tasks, and so on."

The crowd couldn't help but glance at Ren frequently, their expressions varying, but most of them revealed envy.

"Of course, please wait a moment."

The exchange price is 1 Gold Medal and 5,500 Merit Points? "By the way, could you check how many Merit Points I have now?" Ren asked again.

Ren walked through a long white corridor, and at its end, an arrow-shaped sign appeared before him, indicating three directions.

"Hmm? Sir Ren, what did you say?" Verri asked, puzzled.

The burly warrior with the war hammer held a stack of papers and was carefully flipping through them. The first one seemed to be Ren's report. He looked puzzled, raised his head, and sized Ren up, asking, "Are you Ren?"

However, it seemed that for confidentiality purposes, each window had a partition, and only one person was served at a time. Others who needed to conduct business had to wait in the chairs ten meters behind.

Verri, standing beside him, smiled and said, "Yes, Sir Ren, let's go together!"

After lunch, Ren returned to his room, tidied up a bit, and headed towards the Exchange Hall.

"Sir Ren, you are currently at the Bronze Rank, and you can view the list of exchangeable items up to the Gold Rank."

A slate display? Was it a touch screen?

"This is also why most Swordbearer squad captains are either formal Wizards with Defensive Force Fields or Peak Grand Knights with Thick Skin."

"Okay, please wait a moment." The girl quickly flipped through a thick directory.

"Now, does anyone else have questions?" Kalem looked around and asked.

After some small talk...

"Source: Provided by the Bishu Armament School."

Swordbearer Minster Division, Newcomer Tower Hall.

Straight ahead is the Task Hall, to the left is the Training Ground and Rest Room, and to the right is the Exchange Hall.

This time, Angus and the other four were stunned, their eyes wide as they stared at Ren. Tsk tsk, being strong is indeed impressive!

Apparently, she was referring to Veronica and Evelyn. Ren thought for a moment and then invited the two girls to join them.

"By the way, if any of you were previously employed in an imperial functional department, your Merit Points can be fully transferable."

"Imperial Swordbearers are divided into multiple ranks. Just like you are at the Black Iron Rank, which is considered a reservist, Sir Ren is at the Bronze Rank, and there are subsequent ranks like Silver and Gold. These are the ranks."

When he finds some free time in the next few days, he should go to the Task Hall and see if he can take on a few Bronze Rank tasks to assess the situation.

Not bad, the Imperial Navy is quite reliable, but it's probably mostly thanks to Major Marika's efforts.

"However, within the same rank, there are two situations. For example, within the Bronze Rank, there are Bronze Rank Captains and Bronze Rank members."

"Exchange Price: 1 Gold Medal and 5,500 Merit Points."

After hearing this, Ren immediately stepped out of the crowd and, guided by his attendant, approached a knight in plate armor wielding a double-handed war hammer.

"I'm so envious!"

Their beautiful eyes all revealed shock, confusion, and a lack of understanding at the sight of a Grand Knight leading a squad of four Peak Knights.

Veronica also nodded almost simultaneously, her twintails bouncing to express her eagerness to join.

"Okay, sir, please show your emblem."

Metal Transformation Spell?

"Yes, Instructor Kurman," Ren nodded and said.

"Hmm, your report states that your performance in the last Preliminary Examination was excellent in all aspects. None of the five examiners had any suggestions for improvement, which makes it difficult for me to judge."

"So, I need to spar with you, and then we'll see which areas you need to improve in." Kurman said seriously.

Ren immediately agreed, nodding, "Of course!"

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End of Chapter.

Chapter end