Knight: from Apprentice to the Almighty

After finalizing the details with Noel, Roland didn’t leave the Blacksmith Guild immediately. Instead, he returned to his own workshop.

Although he had a lead on the Mithril, Noel had said that smuggling the scraps to the River Domain while avoiding the watchful eyes of the Dwarf Royal Family would be no easy feat, and the exact timing was impossible to predict.

Naturally, Roland couldn’t let such uncertainty slow his pace of improving his strength.

Therefore, it was highly unlikely he would get his hands on the Mithril before setting out to eliminate the Pirates.

However, Roland wasn’t particularly bothered by this.

Firstly, his original plan was to inscribe Elements onto ordinary iron weapons to create a batch of single-use Enchanted Weapons.

The opportunity to get Mithril was just a pleasant surprise.

Secondly...

Roland didn’t know the Mithril refining techniques that the Dwarves strictly forbade from being shared with outsiders.

Although his relationship with Master Griffin was decent, he couldn’t be sure if the Dwarf master even knew the technique, let alone whether he would be willing to teach him everything.

So, Roland didn’t dwell on the Mithril. Instead, he focused on carrying out his original plan.

「More than ten days passed in the blink of an eye.」

In the courtyard gifted to him by Colin, Roland and Teresa stood a few steps apart, facing each other.

Galvis and Bronson stood to the side, watching.

The Minstrel looked relaxed, but the scholar was nervously fidgeting with the hem of his robe.

"I’m ready."

Roland’s right hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword, his gaze locked on the silver-haired woman opposite him.

"Teresa, don’t hold back. Attack me with everything you’ve got."

"This... all right, Mr. Roland."

Teresa was hesitant at first, but seeing the unwavering look in Roland’s eyes, she could only nod in resignation.

SHING!

With the clear ring of a sword being drawn, the Foil at her waist—personally forged by Roland—shot from its sheath, reflecting a blinding, cold glint in the sunlight.

The next instant.

With a whoosh of displaced air, Teresa’s slender figure appeared like a phantom, less than half a step in front of Roland.

’So fast!’

A trace of astonishment flashed through Roland’s eyes.

In his line of sight, the Residual Shadow Teresa had left behind hadn’t even dissipated yet.

Her speed had risen another level compared to when she fought the Bear Goblins.

Even he was now slightly inferior to Teresa in terms of pure speed.

As the thought flashed through his mind, the cold tip of her blade was already closing in.

But Roland didn’t draw his sword.

His Spiritual Attribute, as high as eighteen, allowed him to control his Spiritual Power as if it were an extension of his own limbs.

With a mere flicker of his will, his extended Spiritual Power touched the ring on his finger, the one embedded with a Muddy Crystal Stone.

And then...

HUMMM!

A deep hum, like the tolling of an ancient bell, suddenly reverberated through the courtyard.

The instant the sound erupted, a transparent, rippling membrane of light expanded at a speed nearly invisible to the naked eye, instantly enveloping Roland’s entire body.

SCREECH!

The tip of Teresa’s foil, as swift as a thunderbolt, stabbed viciously against the membrane of light, producing a sharp, ear-piercing screech.

Time seemed to freeze.

Only a few faint ripples spread across the surface of the light membrane; it was as unmoving and steady as a mountain.

As for Teresa...

No matter how much force she applied, her joints even creaking softly from the strain, the sharp tip of her blade couldn’t advance another inch.

It was held firmly at bay by that seemingly thin and fragile membrane of light, just inches from Roland’s eyes.

"That’s enough, Teresa..."

Roland said softly, looking at the beautiful face before him, slightly flushed from exertion.

"Thank you for your help."

*Huuu...*

Before he finished speaking, the silver-haired woman had already retreated, sheathing the exquisitely crafted Foil. She stared at the seemingly unscathed membrane, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"Is this the First Ring Spell... Shield Skill?"

After murmuring in admiration, Teresa stared at her slightly sore wrist and gently shook her head.

’Back then... did Mr. Roland really shatter a Protective Spell of this level all by himself?’

Recalling the scene of the young man’s fierce battle with the Bear Goblins, the silver-haired woman suddenly clenched the hilt of her sword, a look of unwilling frustration in her eyes.

But because her head was slightly lowered and her face was hidden by her silver hair, Roland couldn’t see her expression.

With a thought, he silently retracted the Shield Skill. Then, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he looked toward the anxious Bronson.

"Mr. Bronson, your knowledge... is truly astonishing."

This praise wasn’t just empty pleasantries; it was what Roland truly thought.

After all, just over a month ago, the scholar before him had only proposed an idea and a hypothesis.

Yet, in just over a month, the scholar had turned that idea into reality, successfully infusing the previously unusable Magical Artifact with Magic Power and bringing it back to life.

"As long as it’s useful... as long as it’s useful..."

Stepping forward to look him over and confirm Roland was unharmed, Bronson finally let out a long sigh of relief and spoke slowly.

"However, the quality of this ring is ultimately too poor. It can be used a maximum of three times consecutively, and then it needs a full day to recharge..."

As he said this, a look of regret appeared in Bronson’s eyes.

He was clearly not entirely satisfied with the results of his research.

"Three times is enough, Mr. Bronson..."

Seeing his expression, Roland gently patted his shoulder.

"In the heat of battle, a single Shield Skill is enough to turn the tide."

Hearing these comforting words, Bronson nodded lightly. He then took out the pendant, which, like the ring, was a Magical Artifact inscribed with the Fourth Ring Spell, Death Immunity.

"Since the Magic in this ring can function normally, this pendant should be fine as well. However..."

At this, Bronson frowned slightly.

"Unlike the ring, from my observations, activating the Death Immunity in this pendant doesn’t seem to require Spiritual Power."

"When you’re hit with an instant-death effect, it will automatically activate, targeting the creature closest to you. You need to pay close attention to this."

"I understand, Mr. Bronson."

Hearing this warning, Roland chuckled softly, took the pendant, and hung it directly around his neck.

The teardrop-shaped Obsidian shimmered faintly as it caught the sunlight.

"Roland..."

Just as Roland was about to say more, a listless voice came from beside him.

He turned to see Galvis slumped over a table, speaking with a sigh of resignation.

"Are the preparations finally complete this time? Are we..."

Aside from Roland, the person most looking forward to wiping out the Pirates was the Minstrel right in front of him.

The Minstrel had been rubbing his hands with glee, brainstorming plotlines for the story he would write, ever since Roland first proposed the idea.

But in the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

His creative passion was on the verge of being completely exhausted.

Thinking about all the preparations Roland had made during this time, and the horrifyingly detailed plan, the Minstrel sighed.

"When can we finally set off?"

Ignoring Galvis’s complaining tone, Roland walked over to Teresa. He gently took her red and swollen wrist to examine it carefully as he replied.

"We’ll wait for the sailors dispatched by Hobbit to bring back news. However..."

At this point, after confirming that Teresa’s wrist injury wasn’t serious, he said softly.

"It’s just a minor sprain. Later, just gently apply the Potion I refined."

After giving her a few more simple instructions, Roland turned back and continued.

"Judging by the time, those sailors should be back soon."

The words had barely left his mouth when the sound of light footsteps came from outside the courtyard.