Knight: from Apprentice to the Almighty

As if worried Roland might doubt his words, Hobbit immediately launched into a detailed explanation of some of the nautical knowledge he possessed.

His explanation was not only well-organized, but to accommodate Roland, a complete novice, he deliberately simplified the difficult, professional terms. He explained things in a way that was easy to understand, allowing even a layman like Roland to comprehend it all perfectly.

In just a short while, Roland felt he had gained a great deal, and because of this, he was amazed by the learning ability and intelligence the Half-Elf displayed.

"Very good."

Roland’s eyebrows rose slightly.

"How about this? I’ll teach you Combat Skills, and in exchange, you’ll teach me about sailing?"

"Of course!"

Hobbit’s eyes shone with surprising brightness, his voice filled with excitement.

Watching the jubilant Half-Elf before him, the corners of Roland’s mouth curved into a smile.

From their earlier conversation, he was convinced of the deep bond between the two brothers.

Although he could have Tonyelson find someone to teach him about sailing, making this deal with Hobbit would not only allow him to learn the necessary knowledge but could also win him the friendship of a young and promising captain.

And all he had to give in return was a little bit of time.

Besides, he came to the training grounds every day to hone his skills anyway. Guiding Hobbit would just be something he did on the side, costing him almost no extra effort.

’This is a deal I can’t possibly lose.’

"Let’s call it a day, then..."

Roland gestured at the already dimming sky.

"I’ll wait for you at the training grounds tomorrow afternoon, around this time."

"Yes, Mr. Roland!"

Having earned Roland’s approval, Hobbit’s face beamed with radiance.

After a few more brief words, Roland bid farewell to Hobbit and left the Knight Academy.

But he didn’t go straight home. Instead, he boarded a small boat and headed for the Adventurer Guild he had passed yesterday.

Now that he had mastered all the skills required to become an [Apprentice Knight], all that was left was to spend the time to grind them to Full Level.

’In that case, the two requirements, "slay a Demon" and "lead a squad to defeat a powerful enemy," must be put on the agenda as soon as possible.’

After paying the boat fare, Roland followed his memory and soon arrived at the entrance of the Adventurer Guild.

Completely different from the guilds in Black Water Territory’s Wuxi Town or Songmu Town, the Adventurer Guild before him, located in the Royal Capital of the River Domain, was far more grand and imposing in its design.

The Mercenaries and Adventurers coming and going, judging by their appearance and demeanor alone, were far beyond what the rabble in Songmu Town could compare to.

Taking a deep breath, Roland pushed open the door and entered.

In an instant, a clamor of voices rushed over him like a tidal wave.

However, the air wasn’t filled with the pungent mix of sweat and cheap alcohol he had expected.

Although the place was bustling with noise, the Mercenaries and Adventurers inside the guild were all sitting orderly around wooden tables, talking. There was no sign of any troublemakers.

Roland quickly scanned his surroundings. After confirming the layout was no different from other guilds, he confidently walked toward a neat wall plastered with commissions.

The contents of the commissions were all more or less the same.

Exterminating Demons, escorting merchant caravans, finding people or things...

However, as his gaze moved upward, a few commission notices, clearly different from the others, firmly caught his attention.

One of the parchments was slightly curled at the edges, its surface yellowed.

Compared to the clean, new commission notices around it, this one had clearly been hanging here for a very long time.

But what caught Roland’s attention even more was that in the spot where the mission’s difficulty Level was usually marked, there wasn’t the usual crimson dot representing difficulty, but a startling, large, red ’X’.

"Exterminate goblin camp, no time limit, reward..."

The spot for the reward amount was covered in smeared ink marks from repeated changes, but he could just barely make out the final number: "ninety-two Silver Coins."

’What a generous offer...’

Although Roland wasn’t short on money at the moment, he couldn’t help but be inwardly amazed at the reward, which was a huge cut above the surrounding commissions. He then continued to examine the details of the commission.

"Located in the Cyan Moss Swamp east of the Royal Capital (currently within the Land of Mist)..."

After the specific location description and a simple map, there were a few lines of text that had clearly been added later.

Written in a startling, blood-red ink.

"Contains Bear Goblins! Extremely dangerous! Do not proceed without absolute confidence!"

Following this warning, an equally bright red arrow pointed crudely to another parchment right next to it.

On that paper, a long list of names was neatly written.

[Dawn Mercenary Corps, wiped out, overall strength assessment: Extraordinary]

[Raven’s Eye Squad, three members died of severe injuries, the rest are missing (presumed dead), overall strength assessment: Extraordinary]

[Blood Oath Brotherhood, dismembered limbs found in camp, identified victims: Leader ’Scarface’ Carlos (torn in half), Second-in-command ’Fast Sword’ Lina (head crushed), overall strength assessment: Extraordinary]

[Ashes, no survivors...]

[Anvil Mercenary Corps...]

Reading these shocking lines of text, Roland’s brow furrowed deeply.

Although he still didn’t know who truly controlled the Adventurer Guild from behind the scenes, based on past observations, the organization was meticulous and never made baseless claims or intentionally deceived anyone.

This meant that the "Extraordinary" strength assessments for the Mercenary Corps and Adventurer squads on the list were very likely real, and they had indeed been annihilated on that commission.

"Bear Goblins..."

Roland muttered the name, his expression growing incredibly grave.

Unlike the Mutant Dogman he had encountered in the Black Water Territory, Bear Goblins had actually existed according to ancient records—a ferocious variant of a goblin-like creature.

They were cruel and cunning, possessing not only an intelligence comparable to humans but also immense physical Power and astonishing Agility.

What was even more terrifying, according to ancient texts, was that due to their devout faith in a certain Deity, every single Bear Goblin could potentially be granted some kind of strange and unpredictable supernatural ability.

However, after the Era of the End, this creature completely vanished.

At least, since Roland had come to this world, he had never heard their name mentioned in any adventure legends or local rumors.

’A Demon from a bygone era has reappeared... It seems the resurgence of Magic Power is far more rapid than I anticipated. But...’

A sharp glint flashed in Roland’s eyes.

’This might be an opportunity for me!’

’Since even Bear Goblins have appeared, other powerful Demons are bound to become more numerous as well.’

’This means that to complete the "lead a squad to defeat a powerful enemy" requirement for becoming an [Apprentice Knight], he will have more potential targets.’

However, Roland was no reckless rookie.

Even if his current strength was among the best of the Extraordinaries.

Even when facing goblins or Kobolds, whose strength was far inferior to his, he understood the importance of gathering intelligence and acting with caution.

In this world where Magic Elements were becoming increasingly active, the dangers would only grow day by day.

’Hunting the Bear Goblins can be put on the agenda, but before that, I must gather as much detailed information as possible. Beyond that...’

Thinking of the "squad of three or more" requirement, Roland’s brow furrowed once again.

’Galvis may seem cynical, but his strength is undeniable. Add Avril, the Apprentice Ranger who seems to have almost nothing to do on a daily basis... that means I’m still short one person...’

Roland shook his head helplessly.

Although the minimum requirement was three people, when facing such a dangerous Demon, he wished he could bring thirty or forty powerful experts with him.

Unfortunately, in his current social circle, the only reliable and powerful people who could fight alongside him seemed to be Avril and Galvis.

Although he currently enjoyed the favor of the Merchant Faction, Roland didn’t think they would easily dispatch dozens of Extraordinaries to escort him just to satisfy his personal need to exterminate a Demon.

’Looks like this will require some long-term planning...’

With that thought, Roland pulled his gaze away from the commission with the blood-red text and began to look over the other papers.