Translator: CinderTL
Though ordinary iron weapons couldn't withstand the surging elemental energy within them, barely managing to sustain a single enchantment effect, this was already a monumental boost to Roland's power.
After all...
Gazing at the iron stake cleaved in two at his feet, Roland nodded slightly.
For that strike, he had deliberately refrained from using any special abilities, activating his breathing technique, or even fully unleashing his own strength.
It was merely the simplest, most fundamental sword slash.
Yet an ordinary iron sword had sliced through the iron testing stake as effortlessly as cutting through rotten wood.
This level of power rivaled some low-tier spells.
So...
What if he imprinted elemental energy onto arrows?
Even if the arrow shafts had poor magic conductivity and the wood itself lacked strong elemental affinity,
as long as he channeled elemental energy into them the moment they were launched,
and the energy held until impact before erupting...
Roland surmised that while the resulting power wouldn't match his current Fire Arrow spell, it would still be considerable.
Moreover, guiding mana into pre-engraved runes required far less mental power than casting a single full-power Fire Arrow.
This gave him an extremely stealthy and sudden attack method.
Enemies facing him for the first time would likely never anticipate that an ordinary-looking arrow could unleash such magical destructive force.
Of course, this method wasn't without its drawbacks.
The primary issue was the high cost.
Ordinary arrow-making wood clearly couldn't withstand the brief surge of elemental energy within.
Furthermore, these magic element-imprinted arrows were strictly single-use consumables, with no possibility of recovery or reuse.
However, this flaw was almost negligible for Roland.
With his current accumulated wealth, he could easily afford to use these specialized arrows, provided he didn't expend hundreds in every battle.
"Ordinary wooden arrows definitely won't work," Roland mused inwardly as he silently gathered the iron shavings and broken iron stakes from the ground.
"Perhaps... I could craft arrows from iron? And pair them with a sufficiently powerful longbow."
Given his current physical condition, firing iron arrows shouldn't be a problem.
"And besides arrows..."
Roland's mind raced as he recalled the throwing techniques he had mastered.
"I could also forge some short spears or daggers."
After restoring the testing ground to its original state and extinguishing the lights, Roland turned and left the Blacksmith's Guild.
"The item with the best magical conductivity I currently possess is probably this Mithril Longsword."
His fingers unconsciously stroked the sword hilt at his waist as he walked, his thoughts churning.
"It's incredibly durable and has a natural affinity for the wind element, but..."
He shook his head, recalling the sight of that finely crafted iron sword shattering instantly.
Until he understood mithril's tolerance for elemental surges, he was unwilling to risk his only Mithril Longsword.
What if, after imprinting it with an Elemental Imprint, it was completely destroyed after just a few battles?
That would be an immeasurable loss for Roland.
With his current strength, ordinary iron weapons simply couldn't withstand his full power in intense combat.
If his weapon were to shatter at a critical moment, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Mithril... It's said that veins of this rare metal can only be found deep within the Dwarf Kingdom," Roland mused.
"Perhaps... tomorrow morning, I could visit Master Griffin and see if he has any channels for acquiring mithril. If I could secure a stable supply..."
The thought of equipping himself with armor and weapons meticulously forged from mithril, each piece imbued with elemental enchantments, stirred an irrepressible surge of anticipation and joy within Roland's heart.
"However..."
His gaze returned to the Mithril Longsword, his eyes narrowing in scrutiny.
Enhanced by his Material Empathy, he could clearly discern faint traces of damage and subsequent repairs along the sword's spine.
"To damage a Mithril Longsword... what kind of fierce battles must its previous owner have endured?"
With these thoughts, Roland stepped out of the Blacksmith's Guild.
A crisp, slightly salty sea breeze swept across his face, invigorating his weary spirit and gradually calming the excitement that had surged through him upon becoming an enchanter.
"Right!"
Roland lightly tapped his forehead and opened the Job Panel.
"I almost forgot to check what resonance bonuses I'd get from combining Apprentice Knight and Enchanter."
As he thought this, his gaze focused on a newly appeared line of text on the panel:
Apprentice Knight class detected. Job resonance can be triggered.
Job Resonance
Apprentice Knight + Enchanter
Additional Bonus: Echoing Forge
Echoing Forge: When an Apprentice Knight activates "Ember Resonance," the golden embers surging from the battlefield not only nourish allies but also, guided by the Enchanter's innate "Material Empathy," flow over their equipment like liquid battlefield will. This isn't mere coating; it's a profound tempering of energy and matter through the empathy talent. The embers instinctively smooth out metal fatigue, mend potential cracks in leather, and, based on each material's inherent magical affinity, briefly imbue it with sharpness, resilience, or elemental affinity.
"Whoa!"
After carefully reading the description, Roland raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Ember Resonance is a group buff that significantly enhances allies' physical and mental fortitude, while Echoing Forge is a group enchantment... Does that mean...?"
As he walked home, Roland unconsciously stroked his smooth chin.
"Activating Ember Resonance will grant a massive boost to the overall strength of nearby allies. I just wonder... what exactly are the temporary enchantments the Echoing Forge bestows on equipment?"
"Could it be that after just one clash, their weapons and armor will shatter completely under the torrent of elemental energy...?"
The thought of that potentially embarrassing scene—a collective equipment collapse—made the corner of Roland's mouth twitch almost imperceptibly. He shook his head slightly, refocusing his gaze on his attribute panel.
Strength: 27.5
Agility: 25.5
Spirit: 18
"When my Strength and Agility both surpassed 10, I entered the Transcendent Realm, exceeding the limits of ordinary mortals."
"So, using the Job Panel's attributes as a reference, what's the attribute threshold for a transcendent professional? Is it 30? Or 40? And..."
His gaze lingered on the Spirit attribute, which stood at a remarkable 18. Roland couldn't help but recall the strange sensation he'd experienced when he became an enchanter and gained six points of Spirit.
"The indescribably resilient barrier my spiritual perception touched... could that be the barrier of the Deep Sea of Consciousness, as described in ancient texts?"
This sensation was completely different from the feeling of awakening the Consciousness Shoal after taking the Spirit Summoning Potion.
He remembered clearly that wizards typically needed to cultivate specific meditation techniques to carve out a stable Deep Sea of Consciousness within their spiritual realm—a space capable of supporting the complex rune structures required for Ring-tier spells.
"The core purpose of cultivating meditation techniques is to increase mental power. Does that mean... opening the Deep Sea of Consciousness itself doesn't require a specific secret art? If mental power accumulates to sufficient strength, reaching a critical threshold, could it naturally break through that barrier?"
This thought ignited a fervent excitement in Roland's heart.
Unlike ordinary people who could only enhance their mental power through rare encounters or arduous meditation, he simply needed to continuously take on new professions. The cumulative effect of job attributes would steadily, almost without bottlenecks, increase his mental strength.
"Perhaps... twenty points of mental attribute is the threshold for opening the Deep Sea of Consciousness?"
After making this bold conjecture, Roland's steps involuntarily quickened.
(End of the Chapter)
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