Chapter 61 - 60: Overall Improvement

Macken’s words left Ronin stunned.

After questioning him several times, he confirmed that Macken had indeed recalled a memory upon breaking through to the Advanced Level.

’Although this memory, like Ridder’s, was just a very short fragment about his identity, doesn’t this mean that as long as I increase the strength of these three subordinates, their memories will slowly recover until they remember everything?’

But that wasn’t the only thing that surprised Ronin.

Ridder had said he was the Commander-in-Chief of the Flame Expedition Army, and now Macken was saying he was the Leader of the Seventh Knight Order, which was subordinate to the Flame Expedition Army.

’In other words, Macken was once Ridder’s subordinate?’

Ronin couldn’t help but laugh at the thought. ’How did the backstories of the people I summoned end up being connected?’

’What exactly was the Flame Expedition Army?’

’What did Ridder and Macken experience? What did they go on an expedition to fight?’

Ronin was extremely curious and couldn’t help but look at Elron beside him. ’This Mage couldn’t also be part of the Flame Expedition Army, could he?’

Elron shrugged and responded to Ronin’s questioning gaze with a smile. "My Lord, I haven’t remembered anything. Perhaps you could also raise my strength to the Advanced Level?"

Of the three of them who had been summoned, Macken and Ridder were now Advanced Level Knights, while he had only just reached the Intermediate Level.

Even though Elron was typically serene, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.

Ronin naturally heard the envy and anticipation in Elron’s tone, but for now, he could only laugh and shrug, mimicking the other man’s gesture.

"I promise, you’re next! But it might be a rather long process. I can’t just raise you directly to the Advanced Level like I did with Macken."

After the first-time purchase bonus, the only way for Ronin to get hundreds of Energy Essence at once was by completing achievements. But achievements weren’t simple to complete; they would take some effort.

"I look forward to this slow process of improvement," Elron said.

"Let’s raise your strength a little bit first."

Ronin had just spent 315 Energy Essence on Macken, leaving him with 85 points.

With Elron being the only one left to upgrade, Ronin had no better option and invested all 85 Energy Essence into the Mage.

As Elron felt his Spiritual Power rapidly increase, his Level progress reached 89/300.

It had to be said that Mages were rarer than Professional Knights, and even the experience requirements reflected this.

An Advanced Level Knight required 300 Energy Essence, and an Intermediate Mage already required 300 points.

"Thank you for your gift, my Lord. May the light be with you!"

The thrill of leveling up was the same for everyone, and Elron felt incredibly exhilarated.

"When you have time, focus on refining your Mana."

Ronin said with a smile, "Over half of the Magical Beast Hide and Magic Ink we just bought is for you. Once we return to the territory, your main task will be to produce Healing Spell Scrolls."

Compared to Healing Spell Scrolls, Wind Blade Skill scrolls were a bit less profitable. To maximize his returns, Ronin had no choice but to work Elron a little harder and have him make more scrolls.

Of course, he would also take a couple of pieces of Magical Beast Hide to learn how to make Magic Scrolls himself. After all, mastering a new Skill was never a bad thing.

After dealing with Elron’s strength, Ronin began allocating his own points.

As a Lord with two Advanced Peak Knights under his command, his personal need for combat power had decreased significantly.

Considering he would need to practice the Wind Blade Skill and Fireball Skill, as well as make Magic Scrolls, all of which demanded high Spiritual Power and Mana Value from a Mage, Ronin invested all 201 of his Attribute Points into his Mage Level progress.

After the allocation, he was hit by a wave of pleasure so intense it felt like his soul was soaring through the clouds, almost like an orgasm.

He looked at his Attribute Panel:

[Level]: 2 - Intermediate Knight (12/200); 2 - Intermediate Mage (201/300)

For an Intermediate Knight, Fighting Qi flowed out from the Fighting Qi Spirit Seed in the heart, branching out through the Knight’s body to gradually form a complete network of Fighting Qi Veins.

When the Fighting Qi Veins converged at the Sea of Qi and broke through it, opening the link between the Fighting Qi Spirit Seed, the Fighting Qi Veins, and the Sea of Qi, it signified that a Knight had advanced from the Intermediate to the Advanced Level.

Ronin sensed that the Fighting Qi Veins in his body had only just begun to extend from his Fighting Qi Spirit Seed; they still had a long way to go before reaching the Sea of Qi in his abdomen.

Compared to the physical transformation required for a Knight, a Mage’s Cultivation was relatively simple.

They mainly focused on strengthening their Spiritual Power and expanding their Mana Space, without needing extensive physical modifications.

As long as their Spiritual Power increased, their Mana Space would grow, which in turn meant the Mage could refine more Mana and cast more Magic.

After the pleasant sensation from his power-up faded, Ronin grinned and gestured for everyone to sit down.

"Ridder, what Combat Skills have you mastered?"

Ridder was a Fire Attribute Knight, so Ronin would be able to learn the Combat Skills he mastered in the future.

"My Lord, I currently only have two Combat Skills: the common skill ’Flame Slash’ and ’Fire Clouds Everywhere’."

Ronin knew Flame Slash; Princest had mastered it.

According to Ridder’s explanation, the Fire Clouds Everywhere Combat Skill was an area-of-effect attack. A single horizontal sweep of the sword could supposedly create a fiery shockwave, like a spreading bank of fire clouds, that could crush a wide swath of enemies.

However, this Combat Skill consumed a large amount of Fighting Qi, and typically only an Advanced Level Knight could use it with ease.

"I also have ’Fire Fist Bombing,’ which even an Intermediate Knight can learn."

As Ronin spoke, he took out the Fire Fist Bombing Combat Technique Manual and handed it to Ridder. The latter took it, glanced through it a couple of times, and then clenched his fist.

"HUMMM~"

Red Fighting Qi gathered on Ridder’s fist, coalescing into a flickering flame that radiated a faint, powerful aura.

Ronin awkwardly took the manual back.

’Well, Ridder really is a genius with a Proud Sun Talent. He learned a Combat Skill that Princest hadn’t even mastered just by glancing at it.’

"You learn so fast!"

Ronin couldn’t help but give him a thumbs-up. He himself had to try several times before succeeding when he learned this Combat Skill.

Ridder stopped circulating his Fighting Qi, and the flame on his fist instantly vanished.

"This Combat Skill is all about controlling your Fighting Qi. When you change the Fighting Qi to the Fire Attribute, you have to control its condensation on your fist while also preventing it from harming your own skin."

He explained, "I excel at precise control of Fighting Qi, and I’m extremely proficient with Flame Slash. Coupled with my strength as an Advanced Level Peak, it wasn’t difficult to master."

These words made Macken, who was standing nearby, look on with envy.

His talent was lower than Ridder’s. If he were given the same Combat Technique Manual, he knew he wouldn’t be able to master it in an instant like Ridder had.

"Ridder, if your control over Fighting Qi is really that strong, do you think you could create your own Combat Skills?"

Ronin felt that Ridder’s understanding of Fighting Qi was superior to Macken’s, so he couldn’t help but voice the question on his mind.

Mages cast spells using Magic Patterns, but Combat Skills were different. They were techniques formed purely through a Knight’s Fighting Qi and their control over it.

"Theoretically, it’s possible for most Combat Skills."

Ridder nodded in agreement. "But having a Combat Technique Manual allows for a detailed analysis of its specifics, which greatly reduces the cost of trial and error and shortens the time it takes for a Knight to master the Combat Skill."

Ronin nodded slightly. That made sense. Some Combat Technique Manuals even included explanations based on the experience of predecessors, which was a huge help for beginners.

"Ridder, Macken, how about we find a spot on the way back for you two to have a sparring match?"

Although looking at their level progress, Ridder was only 20 points ahead of Macken—not a huge gap.

But level progress wasn’t an indicator of true combat power, so Ronin was very curious about their actual fighting abilities.

Ridder and Macken looked at each other, a fighting spirit visible in both their eyes.

"As you wish, my Lord!"

The two of them readily accepted Ronin’s proposal.