Free Web NovelChapter 304: Chapter 303: Refining the Skills
The atmosphere in the party was somewhat subdued.
Only Ale would occasionally mutter something in Elvish as she walked. Although Colin couldn’t understand Elvish, the girl’s flushed cheeks said it all—chances were, she was badmouthing the Church of Morninglord.
In the quiet atmosphere, Colin’s mind began to wander again.
In the past, when dealing with those Evil Demons, he always felt he had nothing to worry about as long as Orelia was by his side.
After all, that Priest could smell the stench of the Undead from dozens of miles away on the World’s Roof. She could also detect the Devil Cultists hiding underground and had been quick to notice the Cultists in Three Bays City.
But a few days ago, when facing that group of Demons, they had been completely helpless aside from piecing together various subtle clues.
If Rommon hadn’t invested so many resources, Colin was certain they never would have been able to handle the situation. Had they been short just two Healing Potions, it was likely two of them would have died.
And that was just a single Chain Demon.
At the end of the day, that type of Demon was just a Middle-Tier Demon.
If they were up against a High-Tier Demon that had truly lived for thousands, or even tens of thousands, of years, they probably wouldn’t be able to detect it even if it were hiding right under Thousand Masts City... A chill ran down Colin’s spine at the thought.
He sighed and looked down at the Hand Half Sword hanging from his waist.
Ever since it had awakened its power in the basement, this Hand Half Sword had become a piece of Magic Equipment, now named Burning Blood.
Colin drew the Hand Half Sword.
Dark red patterns had appeared on the blade, resembling a faint Damascus steel pattern upon closer inspection.
Colin gripped the hilt and gave the sword a light heft.
He could clearly feel a change in the sword’s center of balance... As he continued walking, Colin gave the sword a light swing.
’And this change in the center of balance is controllable,’ he added to himself.
If he swung it forward, the Hand Half Sword’s center of balance would shift forward, making the swing more powerful. But if he changed direction or pulled it back, the center of balance would instantly shift to the rear, making the weapon more controllable.
Even when improvising a move, this shift would happen instantly, adapting to the wielder’s actions.
’It’s like there’s a smart counterweight inside the sword.’
’This must be the so-called effect of increasing accuracy and Damage,’ Colin marveled. ’Magic really is a wondrous thing.’
Speaking of which, the Elf Giant Sword’s Enchantment only increased its Damage and reduced its weight; its maneuverability was far inferior to this blade.
Also, although this weapon was of a higher quality than the Elf Giant Sword, its Damage was a few points lower.
That wasn’t surprising. After all, the inherent design of a Hand Half Sword made it difficult for its Damage to surpass that of a Giant Sword. However, after activating Blood-Soaked Determination, this sword’s Damage would be higher than the Giant Sword’s.
’So, I should still use the Giant Sword for everyday use,’ Colin thought, ’and save Burning Blood to turn the tables in a crisis.’
’But activating the Blood-Soaked Determination ability requires me to inflict Damage on myself. And judging by the Damage my own Magic deals, one to six Life Value is no small amount. I’ll have to use it cautiously.’
Finally, Colin looked again at the quote that came with it on his Panel.
"Old Guy, take the villagers and go first! I’ll catch up!" —Davin, son of Veteran John
Colin sighed.
Just reading those words, it wasn’t hard to imagine the situation back then. But the final result...
’After I get back, I should go to Dragon’s Fang Castle and ask Veteran John about it.’
Colin thought, ’If he wants this Magic Weapon back, I’ll return it to him. After all, he couldn’t have known how valuable it was when he gave it to me. If the old veteran doesn’t want it back, I should at least offer him some compensation.’
Beyond that, there were the rewards for the quest.
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[Quest: Exterminate the Demons]
[Rating: 10 (Local Hero)]
[Reward: 400 Skill Level, +1 Constitution, Specialty "Two-Handed Weapons Specialization"]
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’Maybe because the reward didn’t include Magic or a lot of Attributes, the amount of Skill Level I got is pretty high,’ Colin thought.
The moment he saw the number four hundred, his mind started turning.
Colin’s Casting Proficiency was already over seventeen hundred. If he added all this new Skill Level, he could get his next Specialty right away.
Colin hesitated at the thought.
There was a suit of Plated Chain Armor in the cart behind him, but because of his Silent Sword Skill, he currently couldn’t wear that Armor in combat.
’But if I improve my Armor Technique or Swordsmanship skills a little, maybe the new Specialty I get will let me wear that Armor?’
’No, that’s too uncertain.’
As he thought this, Colin went ahead and put all the Skill Level into his Casting skill.
His Skill Levels immediately updated to Casting (Expert) 2182/4000, Empowerment Armor (Apprentice) 1375/2000, and Silent Sword Skill (Reliable) 1292/2000.
The moment he allocated the Skill Level, the Panel for his new Specialty appeared before his eyes.
[Arcane Acuity]: The user can spend one hour in quiet rest to recover spent magical energy. This ability can be used once, resetting after the user sleeps for six or more hours.
Simply put, this Specialty allowed a person to recover a portion of their Casting Ability after a short rest.
Colin had read about this ability in books. Many Mages possessed it, and he had assumed he’d just been learning things the wrong way, which was why he hadn’t acquired it yet.
This Specialty was indeed crucial; it was a key ability for a Mage’s long-term sustainability in a fight.
Next, Colin looked at the Specialty from the quest rewards.
[Two-Handed Weapons Specialization]: When you use a two-handed weapon, or a weapon that can be used two-handed, your critical hit chance is doubled.
In Colin’s understanding, "critical hit chance" was really the probability of striking an opponent’s vital points.
For instance, striking an opponent’s major artery with a sword or piercing their heart with an arrow. Doubling the critical hit chance meant a significant increase in the user’s control over their weapon, making it easier for Colin to hit his opponents’ weak spots.
To put it simply, it would allow his Swordsmanship to take a huge leap forward.
"Hey, Colin."
Colin, who had been swinging his sword one moment and staring into space the next, snapped out of it and replied, "What is it, Battier?"
"You’re a true hero."
"Trying to recruit me to be a Forester?" Colin teased. The folklore of this world often referred to Foresters as "Green Forest Heroes."
"No, I’m being serious." Battier’s expression was grave. "If it weren’t for you, Morne and I never would have been able to handle all this. The two of us couldn’t even deal with those Demons wielding Long-Handled Blades."
"You two had a much better starting point than Kase and me."
"We were practically wearing rags and sleeping on the streets back then," Kase shouted from the driver’s seat. "You could say we’re the ones who gave our little bro Colin his big break. Sigh, being the big brother is exhausting."
Colin shrugged, a silent rebuttal to Kase’s claim.
"Morne and I will definitely make something of ourselves one day."
Battier continued, "Consider this a favor we owe you. If you ever need help with anything, come find us in Rommon."
"Don’t get ahead of yourself, Battier."
Morne tugged on his companion’s arm. He nodded at Colin, then paused in thought before asking, "If we want to improve, do you have any good advice for us, Mr. Colin?"
"Well... read more, and learn more about your enemies’ weaknesses and traits. Other than that, just do your best to keep moving forward. Keep at it."
As someone with a Golden Finger, Colin didn’t dare to arrogantly lecture them, so he could only offer some generic, but one-hundred-percent-correct, advice.
After that, the party followed the road back to Rommon.
