Uncle Sam's Iron Mountain Lean

The so-called "Shining Gold Outpost" was actually a landmark on the border of the Oma Empire. It was a half-collapsed mud-sculpted bell tower, signifying a human settlement that had existed a hundred years ago.

Now, there wasn't even a proper Mechanical City here. It was so remote that no normal person would ever pass through.

But this was the only route for those illegally crossing into the "City of Radiance" from the Oma Empire.

The existence of the "City of Radiance" didn't seem to be a big secret for a certain class of people.

At least, judging by the bustling activity at the "Shining Gold Outpost," there were many Scavengers coming and going.

Everything here was built to serve the Scavengers: taverns, gun shops, potion shops, equipment suppliers, and mechanical repair points.

There were also all sorts of opportunistic merchants waiting here to buy goods from returning Scavengers.

The intelligence disseminated by the "Thornbird Merchant Guild" had spread like wildfire. Well-informed, large Scavenger teams knew about the ruins and mineral deposits that had appeared near the City of Radiance.

Professional Scavenger teams were rapidly assembling from all directions towards this small town, entering the mountains in waves.

When Rein and his group arrived, there were already ten times more Scavengers than usual.

The several hundred kilometers west from here, towards the "Alkolon Mountain Range," were mostly rugged mountain paths. Large Mechanical Cities couldn't pass, so people had to travel on foot or use small, specialized mountain troop carriers.

Furthermore, this route would traverse a plateau region where powerful magical beasts frequently appeared. In terms of environment and danger, it was even more complex than the "Bakenya Highlands" Rein had mistakenly entered before.

For this reason, the old butler, Benjamin, hired a veteran Scavenger team called the "Chamois Scavenger Group" as guides.

Although the leader of this Scavenger group was only a second-tier [Adept], and the group consisted of just over a dozen people, they were well-known old guides who frequently traveled this route. Many Scavenger groups stronger than them had disappeared on this path, yet they had remained active for five years.

The Countess still showed no intention of walking, maintaining the air of a pampered, high-society lady whose fingers never touched common chores.

Then, somehow, the old butler managed to procure a mountain mechanical troop carrier.

This eight-legged steam-powered machine, resembling a spider, could move swiftly in complex mountain terrain. The cockpit, thanks to its intricate and sophisticated suspension system, was remarkably stable.

Rein eyed this "black technology" with envy, but he figured it must be incredibly expensive.

The Countess, however, enthusiastically invited Rein to ride with her. But the cramped cabin meant they would be squeezed together, inevitably leading to physical contact.

Rein felt he wouldn't be able to control himself and dared not overstep, so he decided to keep his distance.

Therefore, he chose to walk, just like everyone else.

One day, the team set off, heading deep into the endless mountains.

The weather had been good for the past few days, with no rain or clouds, and the mountain paths were relatively easy to traverse.

After a few days together, Rein had become quite friendly with the Countess's bodyguard, Uncle Sam, who claimed to be a third-tier Shield Knight.

For most people, reaching the third tier as a [Demon Hunter] would already make them top-tier experts, and they would be incredibly arrogant.

But this honest, burly man always humbly claimed his martial skills were mediocre.

He would also patiently answer Rein's most basic introductory questions.

The mountain mist was much thinner than on the plains, and the scenery was beautiful.

There were dense primeval forests, and it was also a place of fragrant flowers and singing birds.

Occasionally, a gentle breeze would blow, carrying the "whoosh" sound of the distant sea, like the roar of waves, which was fresh and pleasant to the ear.

As the journey became a bit tedious, Rein walked over to Sam's side again and started asking questions.

He wanted to learn some martial arts from the Fighter sequence to protect himself and needed an expert guide.

Rein asked with a grin, "Uncle Sam, I just became an Extraordinary recently and want to learn some fighting techniques. Do you have any good recommendations?"

"Heh heh... Why would a doctor like you want to learn martial arts?"

Sam teased him, revealing his signature honest smile.

But he didn't really dwell on it and directly replied, "If you want to learn fighting techniques, you first need to understand which path you intend to advance on after breaking through your second Gene Lock."

"Is there a specific way to do it? I just want to learn some basic skills now, and I have to consider my path after the second tier?"

Rein was genuinely seeking advice, as this was a blind spot in his knowledge.

Although he was certain about advancing in the "Battle Doctor" sequence, it didn't prevent him from learning some self-defense martial arts before finding suitable exclusive skills.

The extraordinary system in this world was like this: as long as you were willing to learn, you could learn any professional skill.

Even if you were a warrior, you could learn to conjure small fireballs.

But the result would be that compared to a professional mage with high elemental affinity, you would conjure a flame, while they would conjure a watermelon-sized fireball.

Learning skills that synergized with your awakened extraordinary abilities was the only way to maximize your combat power.

Rein's "Battle Doctor" sequence awakened with high strength, high resilience, and high perception attributes, making the martial arts of the Fighter sequence the most suitable.

"Of course, there's a way!"

Sam explained, "After reaching the second tier of the Fighter sequence, there are two main branches: one is the [Qi Master] who cultivates internal energy, and the other is the [Martial Artist] who focuses on technique. Although the other non-mainstream sequences have slight differences, they are generally extensions of these two categories."

He continued patiently, "It's best to decide which path you'll take now. The muscles and internal energy cultivated by the two sequences are completely different. One focuses on 'using qi to control power' for sustained combat, while the other focuses on 'technical bursts' for rapid kills."

"So that's how it is..."

Rein's eyes widened in realization; it was the first time he had heard this.

After thinking for a moment, he grinned and asked again, "Uncle Sam, which one do you think is more powerful?"

"There's no such thing as an absolutely superior sequence in any Extraordinary profession, only the strongest Extraordinary individuals."

Sam shook his head and smiled slightly.

It was as if he had heard this question from many young people before.

He shared his experience, saying, "Even if there are differences in the quality of advancement Potions, an Extraordinary who advanced with a Silver Potion isn't necessarily weaker than one who advanced with Black Iron. Hard training and experience in the later stages bring far greater boosts to an Extraordinary than Potions. The path of the Extraordinary begins with Potions, but cultivation is the process!"

"Oh."

Rein nodded, understanding it somewhat but not entirely. He rephrased his question, "Uncle, which branch do you think is more competitive?"

Sam answered without hesitation, "In terms of choice, over 70% of combat-oriented Extraordinary individuals choose the [Martial Artist] branch because that sequence has broader advancement paths and allows for the formation of combat power in a short period."

He then changed his tone, "However, when looking at top-tier powerhouses, the [Qi Master] clearly has more potential in the long run. Although advancement is more difficult, once they reach the fourth tier as a [Demon Hunter Master], the advantages of this sequence become increasingly significant..."

Rein vaguely understood, thinking, Isn't this like the difference between the Huashan Sword Sect and the Qi Sect?

Unsure which one he should switch to, he asked, "Can I learn both?"

"You can, but you'll be spread too thin and won't master either. A person's energy is limited. Whichever branch you choose, it requires a lot of energy to learn. And there's another important point..."

Uncle Sam smiled and added, "From a medical perspective, the bodily attributes awakened by the Potions for both branches are also very different. [Martial Artists] focus on the growth of white muscle fibers, while [Qi Masters] emphasize red muscle fibers. White muscle is for explosive power, and red muscle is for endurance. General combat techniques are similar, but some exclusive ultimate skills and secret arts will have very different effects when performed."

"Oh."

When he heard the professional terms, Rein finally understood completely and nodded repeatedly.

At this moment, a subtle glint flashed in Sam's eyes, and he added indifferently, "When you truly encounter a master, these subtle differences can create fatal flaws."

After hearing Sam's words, Rein felt as if he were listening to a master lecture – he felt impressed but didn't fully grasp it.

He tilted his head, sizing up Sam's robust physique, and playfully asked, "Uncle Sam, you seem to know everything. Are you very powerful?"

Sam then revealed his signature honest smile and said very humbly, "I'm only powerful with my words; my martial skills are mediocre."

"..."

Rein didn't comment and didn't probe further.

After all, reaching the third tier as a [Demon Hunter] was already an insurmountable height for him at the moment.

Then, his eyes shifted, a mischievous smile appearing, "Uncle Sam, can you teach me some general combat techniques for warriors?"

Sam seemed to have anticipated this and smiled, "What do you want to learn?"

Rein couldn't help but wonder if it was because of the Countess, but he felt that Sam was being very polite to him.

He thought for a moment and said, "Hmm, teach me something that can save my life! Preferably something that can reflect damage back at the enemy..."

Sam raised an eyebrow and chose a technique from his knowledge base. "There's a general warrior technique in the Strength-based warriors called 'Iron Mountain Lean.' Three stages of charge, impact, shock, and collapse! Three stages of damage, blocking, injuring, and knocking back... This is the technique I can think of that best fits your requirements. Do you want to learn it?"

Rein's eyes lit up. "Yes!"

Sam was not one to waste time. He walked directly to a giant tree with a diameter of nearly a meter by the side of the mountain path. "Watch carefully. When I exert force... the power starts from the ground, flows through the waist, and explodes from the shoulders and arms!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure flickered. He had already instantly moved two meters forward and leaned directly against the giant tree!

There was a "crack" sound, as if time had frozen for a moment. Then, in a very short period, a second "crunch" sound echoed as the second stage of force vibrated out...

"Boom!"

The third stage of force bounced off, and the giant tree exploded as if it had been hit by dynamite. Wood chips flew everywhere, and the tree was literally snapped in half by Sam's impact!

After demonstrating, Sam patted the sawdust off his shoulders, his breathing unfazed. "Did you see that clearly?"

He had clearly slowed down the demonstration specifically for Rein to see clearly, showing how his feet pushed off the ground, the sequence of muscle activation, and how to channel Qi. Everything was demonstrated in great detail.

Even so, the power displayed was astonishing.

"I saw it clearly. Wow, Uncle Sam, you're amazing!"

Little stars appeared in Rein's eyes, filled with genuine admiration.

Even if Rein hadn't seen the details clearly, the "Smart Brain" had.

The move looked ordinary, but the power it unleashed was terrifying.

And this was with Uncle Sam clearly holding back. If he had actually hit someone, wouldn't their bones have shattered and blood spilled?

Uncle Sam rubbed the back of his head and humbly smiled, "It's not a particularly powerful move. Most warriors know something like this..."

However, he didn't realize that his self-deprecating words made the faces of the "Chamois Scavenger Group" warriors, who had heard the commotion from a distance, look strange.

They might know 'Iron Mountain Lean,' but not everyone can snap a giant tree like you with such ease...

At least, the second-tier leader of the scavenger group felt he couldn't do it.

At that moment, they also acknowledged that the Countess's bodyguard was a true master.

As night fell, they rested.

Rein sat in meditation.

Setting the program: Smart Brain, practice 'Iron Mountain Lean' in dream!

Before long, in the dreamscape, the scene of Uncle Sam snapping the giant tree during the day played on repeat...

Rein's expression was serious as he began to imitate and learn, step by step.

Seeking recommendation votes~