Chapter 377: Metal Cage

Chapter 377: Metal Cage

Rain quickly found the skill icon for Steel Heart on the Warhammer Wizard (Legendary) class panel and began to review the changes in the description.

The new description read as follows:

Advanced Steel Heart Meditation lv4 (1/1000), with the special effect 'Metal Control lv2'.

[Metal Control lv2 (Passive) Effect: Your ability to manipulate metal energy particles is slightly enhanced.]



"Does the first tier correspond to lv1~lv3?"

"In that case, the second tier should correspond to lv4~lv6."

"Also, the system's description of Metal Control lv2 has changed from 'slight enhancement' to 'slight increase'."

Rain didn't know how long it would take other Second Rank Liquidation Wizards within the academy to reach the second tier of Advanced Steel Heart Meditation, but it was unlikely they could learn it in just a few hours.

"Pity, I can't share this joy with anyone else." Rain shook his head and sighed.

After the initial excitement, Rain soon focused his attention on the thickened base in his Spirit Sea.

"The base has thickened, which is why the power of metal magic has increased even further."

"I can test the spells later to compare the power increase."

At the same time, Rain noticed that the volume of the silver liquid around the Mind Sea crystal seemed to have increased slightly, while the volume of the silver mist seemed to have decreased.

Glancing at the system panel, Rain was slightly taken aback.

The Mana value on the attribute panel had actually decreased, just like it did after he practiced the first tier.

It clearly displayed: "Spirit: 88 (Liquefied 32%)"

He should have had 93 points of Spirit after adding 3 points to his initial 90 points, but now he only had 88 points, a reduction of 5 points.

However, the liquefaction progress had increased by 2%, from 30% to 32%.

"It must still be the effect of the Advanced Meditation, purifying the Spirit."

Having experienced this before, Rain wasn't too surprised this time.

After some thought, Rain invested 2 skill points into the lv4 Advanced Steel Heart Meditation.

As the Advanced Steel Heart Meditation advanced from lv4 to lv6, a flood of memories about the second tier's cultivation techniques surged into Rain's mind.

For a few moments, Rain felt as if he had spent decades cultivating the second tier in a mysterious space.

A few minutes later, when Rain tried to visualize the second tier's meditation model again, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the process was much smoother and nearly three times faster!

After some consideration, although he knew he had reached the limit, he still wanted to try.

Sure enough, the system prompt appeared:

[Skill point addition failed! You have reached the current limit for Advanced Steel Heart Meditation.]



However, this was expected, so Rain felt no disappointment. After some thought, he decided to report to the Swordmaster Headquarters early the next morning.

There were two reasons for this decision. First, the deadline for the month was approaching.

It wouldn't be appropriate to delay until the last couple of days.

Second, the Swordmaster Headquarters' exchange hall likely had many spells and items available for exchange.

For instance, there were rare metal spells.

Perhaps he could even exchange for a Soul Energy Crystal.

The rewards from his last mission, where he had defeated the three leaders of the Sea God Sect in the Howling Gorge, had not yet been claimed. If he included the report on the Sea Goddess's projection, he should receive a substantial reward.

This meant that his number of Diamond Star Task Medals and Merit Points should be enough to exchange for one, or even several, metal spells.

In comparison, if he wanted to exchange spells at the academy, he would need to accumulate a significant number of contribution points.

This wasn't something he could accomplish in a short time.

Unlike the Advanced Steel Heart Meditation, the exchange price for spells, especially second-tier spells, at the academy was always in the thousands of contribution points.

To save up enough contribution points by making puppet parts alone would likely require him to take on the entire metal division's work by himself, which still might not be enough.

More likely, he would need to undertake external combat or garrison missions to accumulate enough contribution points.

The next morning.

Rain rode in the Bavaria Family's luxurious carriage and soon arrived at the Swordmaster Headquarters.

As he stepped out of the carriage, he was immediately captivated by the grandeur of the main gate.

In the center of the main gate was an oval fountain, with a towering bronze statue of a man over ten meters tall, holding a sword in both hands. The statue's face was stern, looking into the distance, and it was lifelike.

Behind it was a very spacious entrance, guarded by eight soldiers in full plate armor, each holding a sword and shield.

Rain's senses clearly indicated that these soldiers had the strength of Third Rank Knight Squires.

They were just one step away from the Supernal realm, lacking only an opportunity to obtain a potion.

There was no signboard or text description.

"Interesting."

Rain nodded slightly and walked toward the gate.

"Sir, this is the Imperial Swordmaster Headquarters." A guard stepped forward, his tone polite but respectful, as he could see that Rain had arrived in a luxurious carriage.

Although he wasn't familiar with the Bavaria Family's emblem of the Serpent Shield, it seemed to be the emblem of a duke.

"Right, this is my official letter. I'm here to report." Rain briefly showed his transfer letter.

The guard captain wasn't particularly concerned at first, as new Iron Swordmasters from the provincial branches reported to the headquarters every few days.

In this instance, things were different.

With just a quick glance, he spotted the words 'Electrum Rank Swordsman' written in large characters, causing the guard captain's heart to tremble.

The guard captain's expression changed instantly, and he immediately stood at attention and saluted Rain.

"Sir Rain!"

Rain waved his hand, saying, "Where do I report after signing inquired Rain.

"Gavin! Accompany Sir Rain to the reception area in the administrative building immediately," the guard captain shouted, and soon, a capable guard hurried over.

"Yes, sir. This way, Sir Rain," the guard said.

"Thank you!" Rain replied.

However, what Rain didn't notice was that among the eight guards at the entrance, one of them had a glimmer of light in their eyes upon hearing Rain's name.

Half an hour later, in a Secret Silver Swordsman suite within the Swordsman Headquarters.

"Young Master Greenwood, our family member just informed me that the young man named Rain has arrived at headquarters," a man reported.

"Oh? He's finally here!" Greenwood's face lit up with joy, as he had been waiting for Rain for many days.

"Send Mia, Nathan, and Chandler over here immediately," Greenwood instructed.

A quarter of an hour later, a woman in her late twenties, wearing a form-fitting noble hunter outfit that accentuated her fiery figure, with bright red lips, entered the room along with two graceful noblemen.

During non-mission periods, most swordsmen at headquarters wore casual attire.

All three were part of Greenwood's inner circle, with Chandler being the lowest-ranked among them, but still the second son of an Imperial Capital Count.

It wasn't that Greenwood's social circle was that small, but rather, these individuals were part of the Imperial Capital's noble circle, and they also happened to be at the Swordsman Headquarters, specifically among those close to Greenwood.

Within headquarters, there were certainly nobles of higher status than them, but they weren't individuals Greenwood could easily command; instead, they were the ones he had to visit and request favors from.

"That person has arrived," Greenwood was informed.

"Oh? Is that the young Electrum Rank Swordsman you mentioned, the one who injured you?" Mia, the only woman present, had a glimmer in her eyes, intrigued by the young man who had injured Greenwood.

"That's right," Nathan confirmed.

"Then we'll follow the plan. We'll make him understand that the Imperial Capital isn't so easy to navigate," Chandler, appearing every bit the gentleman, said with a shake of the Bordeaux red liquid in his hand.

"Mia, you and Chandler, go and make contact with him first. If you can gain his trust, that would be best," Greenwood instructed.

"Of course, he's at the reception area, right? Chandler, let's go and 'accidentally' meet this Sir Rain," Mia giggled.

At the reception area of the administrative building, Rain was received by Reception Chief Anthony, a middle-aged man with a slicked-back hairstyle.

"Sir Rain, due to your outstanding performance in Marne Province, you've cleared out the Howling Gorge base of the Sea God Sect, and killed three Legendary and Pre-Legendary high-level heretics, earning you three Secret Silver Medals and sixteen thousand five hundred Merit Points," Anthony explained.

"Oh, and..." Chief Anthony's eyes narrowed, then widened in surprise.

On the wisdom tablet before him, the content was hidden, except for the final reward amount, which was visible.

"Additionally, you provided top-secret information, earning an Electrum Medal and ten thousand Merit Points."

"So, Sir Rain, you will receive a total of one Electrum Medal, three Secret Silver Medals, and twenty-six thousand five hundred Merit Points," Anthony concluded.

"Do you have any objections to this?" Reception Chief Anthony asked with a smile.

Rain's eyebrows arched slightly, and he was delighted.

He had expected the information about Goddess Helmar to be of some importance, but he hadn't anticipated it to be worth more than the rewards for eliminating the Sea God Sect's three leaders.

Indeed, matters concerning deities were no small affair.

"Of course not," Rain replied with a smile.

At that moment, a female staff member hurried over.

She carried a tray, upon which lay a palm-sized, dazzling golden circular emblem.

Rain took the Electrum emblem from the tray and handed the Diamond Star emblem back to the staff member.

The heavy Electrum emblem depicted a standing swordsman, and the lifelike detail, along with Rain's understanding of metals, confirmed that the emblem was indeed crafted from the precious Electrum.

However, compared to the honor and privileges represented by this emblem, the Electrum itself was insignificant.

"Do you need someone to accompany Sir Rain and familiarize him with the surroundings?" Reception Chief Anthony asked with a smile.

"No need, I can explore on my own," Rain smiled and politely declined.

"Very well, Sir Rain, if you have any questions while at headquarters, feel free to come to me," Anthony said.

"Thank you, and goodbye, Chief Anthony," Rain replied.

A few minutes later, Rain left the reception area.

He couldn't shake the feeling that Reception Chief Anthony's smile was somewhat off-putting, but he didn't mind, assuming it was a common trait among Imperial bureaucrats.

Soon, following the signs, Rain arrived at the headquarters' exchange hall.

After all, for higher-level spells and the potential exchange of Soul Energy Crystals, Rain was quite eager.

Following the long corridor's twists and turns, Rain arrives at the Special Items Exchange Hall of the headquarters, a three-story building with a white marble facade.

The building's style resembles Baroque architecture, with circular columns, prominent wall protrusions, and intricate carvings and reliefs, making it grand and exquisite.

As Rain enters the Exchange Hall, he finds the hall designed with an arched ceiling, a high ceiling, making it exceptionally spacious. The number of people inside is at least four to five times more than the Minster Branch.

At this moment, each counter has a considerable number of people waiting, and the black Wisdom Tablet in front of the counter is larger than the one at the branch, appearing more high-end.

It wasn't long before it was Rain's turn.

A female staff member stands up and smiles, "Hello, sir. How may I help you?"

"I'd like to inquire about all the metal-based sorcery," Rain says, handing over his freshly minted Electrum Emblem.

"Of course, sir," the staff member replies.

"Ah, an Electrum Emblem!" she exclaims, clearly surprised.

After a brief moment of surprise, the staff member respectfully takes the emblem and places it into a specially designed slot.

"Sir, with your highest privileges, you canteen-year-old

"Sir, with your highest-level permissions, you can view all exchangeable items at the headquarters. Regarding metal-based sorcery, I've found four items here. Please refer to the Wisdom Tablet," the staff member says.

As the staff member finishes speaking, Rain's black tablet updates with dense white text:

"Sharpening: Zero-Rank Sorcery, consumes a certain amount of mental power to activate a specific sorcery model, stimulating surrounding metal energy particles to enhance the sharpness of designated metal weapons for about one minute."

Exchange Price:

"Metal Barrier: First-Rank Sorcery, consumes a certain amount of mental power to activate a specific sorcery model, stimulating metal energy particles to form a barrier around the caster, blocking any attacks intended to harm the caster."

Exchange Price:

Rain already knows these two sorceries.

Naturally, Rain quickly skips past them and concentrates on the last two.

"Metal Cage: Second-Rank Sorcery, consumes a certain amount of mental power to activate a specific sorcery model, stimulating surrounding metal energy particles to form a metal cage around a single target."

Exchange Price: 2 Secret Silver Medals + 15,000 Merit Points.

Source: Halsh Ruins.

"Thorn Iron Ball: Third-Rank Sorcery, consumes a certain amount of mental power to activate a specific sorcery model, stimulating surrounding metal energy particles to form a giant thorn iron ball, crushing the target."

Exchange Price: 3 Electrum Medals + 27,000 Merit Points.

Source: Olson Fashin.

Upon seeing this information, Rain's eyes light up.

Although the number of sorceries in other elements is still scarce at the Swordsman Headquarters, there are even fewer metal-based sorceries. However, the presence of Second- and Third-Rank sorceries satisfies Rain.

The Second-Rank Sorcery 'Metal Cage' is described as a rare control-type metal sorcery.

Furthermore, the required Task Evaluation Medals and Merit Points are all within Rain's means.

In other words, he can exchange them at any time.

As for the Third-Rank Sorcery 'Thorn Iron Ball' is not urgent. Even if Rain had the medals, as a Second-Rank Liquidation Wizard, he wouldn't be able to learn a Third-Rank Sorcery.

So, Rain looks at the description of the Second-Rank Sorcery 'Metal Cage' and nods.

Even if the target could break free from this move, it would still buy Rain some time, which could be crucial for his speed-based combat style.

"Help me exchange for Metal Cage."

"Of course, sir."

"Oh, by the way, can I exchange for Soul Energy Crystals?"

"Yes, Rain, you can. The exchange price for Soul Energy Crystals is 1 Diamond Star Task Evaluation Medal plus 2,000 Merit Points."

Hmm? It requires a Task Evaluation Medal?

As expected, the price is quite high.

In that case, with his 9 Diamond Star Task Evaluation Medals and the remaining 2 medals, he could exchange for 11 Soul Energy Crystals in one go.

"Use the Secret Silver Medals to exchange for 11 Soul Energy Crystals."

"Huh? Are you sure you want to exchange the Secret Silver Medals for lower-rank medals?" the female staff member reminds him.

It's well-known that obtaining Secret Silver Medals is extremely difficult, even at the Swordsman Headquarters. Very few people would make such an exchange.

"Yes."

"Of course, sir."

Soon, Rain leaves the Exchange Hall with satisfaction, holding a sheepskin scroll and a wooden box.

Five minutes later, Mia and Chandler arrive at the Exchange Hall. Chandler chats with several female staff members before returning to Mia and saying, "That tall, young man with the fresh face left the reception area of the administration building just ten minutes ago."

"They said a tall, fresh-faced young man just left."

"So soon?" Mia is speechless. She and Chandler had just rushed over from the reception area of the administration building.

They didn't expect Rain to be so efficient, leaving in less than ten minutes.

"Let's go and find him!" Mia storms out of the hall.

Half an hour later.

"I'm so mad! After Rain left the reception area, he went straight to the Exchange Hall, exchanged for something, and then left the headquarters," Chandler says.

"I asked the guards, and they said he left the headquarters," Mia adds, frowning.

She even put on an exquisite makeup look and sprayed the expensive Royal No.5 Perfume.

(End of Chapter)This was a top-tier perfume with a complex fragrance, a blend of rosemary, rose, and jasmine, which Mia usually cherished and rarely used.

For a powerful wizard like Rain, with immense spiritual power, any mind-altering spells were taboo. The consequences of failure were unimaginable.

"It's normal. A country bumpkin like him comes to the Imperial Capital and sees all the good stuff at headquarters. How could he resist exchanging for some?" Nathan laughed.

Despite his decent background as the second son of a Marquis in the Imperial Capital, ever since joining the Swordmaster Headquarters and seeing the special items available for exchange, he couldn't help but covet them.

Even for his Marquis family, acquiring some of the items at headquarters would be an almost impossible task.

"Oh, right, Chandler. Since he's new, he probably doesn't have many Merit Points. Do you know what he exchanged for?" Nathan asked curiously.

Chandler, with his handsome looks and graceful demeanor, was quite popular among the female staff at headquarters.

"I'm not sure about the specifics, but he was holding a scroll, which is likely a Supernal Skill or a spell," Chandler recalled.

Chandler's answer surprised Nathan.

"Huh? These two aren't cheap. Could it be that he accumulated a lot of Task Evaluation Medals and Merit Points in his previous branch?" Nathan wondered.

"But that doesn't make sense."

"Stop guessing. Last time, he single-handedly wiped out the Sea God Sect's base in Howling Gorge. He wouldn't lack medals or points," Greenwood said gravely.

Hearing that Rain had exchanged for a spell or skill, a bad premonition arose in his mind.

No!

He couldn't allow Rain to further enhance his strength. It was time to accelerate their plan.

"A base? Even if he killed a legendary cultist, the reward wouldn't be that great, would it?" Chandler was taken aback.

His Mithril Rank squad had also worked together to kill an enemy legendary cultist on their last mission.

"There were three legendary cultists in the base," Greenwood said, his expression growing darker as he spoke.

Not long after returning to the Imperial Capital, he received news from Butler Owen.

His first reaction was disbelief. How could this be possible? How could Rain's strength be so formidable? He had fought Rain before and, although he lost, he believed the gap wasn't that wide.

But what did it mean to kill three legendary cultists in one battle? Butler Owen insisted that this information came directly from the Duke, who had heard it from a high-ranking official at Swordmaster Headquarters during a dinner. The news was reliable.

"What?! That strong?!" Everyone turned their heads, shocked, and suddenly understood why Greenwood was so concerned about Rain.

"This is tricky. Do we know what he's good at?"

"He's skilled in Metal Wizardry and proficient in multiple Supernal Skills, with no apparent weaknesses. However, his expertise in spells might surpass his close-quarters combat abilities," Greenwood said, stroking his recently healed finger.

He wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but even though his finger was healed, he sometimes felt a subtle pain, which fueled his hatred for Rain.

"A Metal Sorcerer? That's rare," Mia said, raising an eyebrow.

"But you don't need to worry about that. Just connect with Rain and gain his trust to some extent," Greenwood waved his hand.

"By the way, Rain hasn't recruited any team members yet. Spread the word that he became a Golden Rank Swordsman purely by luck."

"Good idea. No one at headquarters would risk their lives to join a team with a weak captain." Nathan nodded with a smile.

"When the time comes, you'll join his team willingly, and then deliberately leak his whereabouts or information during his missions, ensuring his death." Chandler's eyes lit up.

"No, it's a sacrifice for the country!" Greenwood couldn't help but laugh.

"I'll have my family arrange a suitable task. I'll assign a task with the highest Golden Rank difficulty. Rest assured, I'll have a strong family member nearby to complete the task after Rain's demise."

"Hehe, it's a foolproof plan. I'll make him understand what a noble family is!"

"A small-town youth like him, who thinks he has some talent but is ignorant of the world, should stay in the countryside." Greenwood couldn't help but feel more hatred for Rain.

He had reviewed Rain's profile and knew he was from a place called Shining Gold Town.

Recently, he even sent people to investigate that town, curious about Rain's background.

However, the investigation came to nothing as the town's residents were almost wiped out in a Black Flame Cult attack last year.

"Wait, there's another issue. According to regulations, Golden Rank Swordsmen are assigned tasks once every three months, and the deadline can be extended if they complete a task of the same rank."

"In other words, he could delay his task for almost three months?" Chandler frowned.

"No, he's already entered our rhythm from the day he reported."

"Soon, he'll have to go out and complete his assigned task."

(End)

Chapter end