Skill Specialization [Weapon Specialization]

With Stone's guidance, Fang Zheng clearly felt much better off in that world.

The reason Fang Zheng had died so miserably before was not only due to his insufficient understanding of that world itself, but also because he had no idea how to handle sudden situations. Especially when encountering those four- or five-meter-tall giants, or some bizarrely shaped monsters—Fang Zheng had no clue how to deal with them. Was he supposed to just take his sword and hack away?

Even with a thick skull, he couldn't withstand that, let alone those damned, malicious mimic treasure chests!

In this regard, Stone was rich in experience, and a few pointers from him could benefit Fang Zheng immensely. In return, Fang Zheng often shared stories about that world with Stone. Stone himself seemed quite interested in that world, frequently pulling Fang Zheng aside to ask about recent developments. This gave Fang Zheng the occasional illusion of being back in his school days, discussing game walkthroughs with classmates during class...

But his hard work finally paid off. Fang Zheng clearly noticed that the number of times he died from unexpected events in that world was decreasing. And after he successfully defeated the Abyss Watchers deep within Farron Keep without taking a single hit, he finally obtained his first reward from the free dungeon.

Skill Specialty [Weapon Specialization]!

[Weapon Specialization: In the endless cycle of death, you have grasped the true essence of battle. Start with a sword, life and death left to fate. You finally understand that in this world, only the weapon in your hand is your most trustworthy comrade (Initial proficiency with all weapons: 100%).]

After acquiring this specialty, Fang Zheng curiously tested it out, and the results filled him with delight. He found that with the boost from [Weapon Specialization], not only did his use of Royal Cross Swordsmanship become smoother, but when he picked up equipment like a Greatsword or a short sword, those once-unfamiliar weapons felt like extensions of his own body, easily reaching a level of effortless control.

This was truly a nice specialty reward.

And through this reward, Fang Zheng finally discovered that the dungeon's rewards seemed to be based on whether he could defeat the boss without taking damage. Previously, when he fought other bosses, he had died several times, and even when he won, he was completely exhausted. This time, defeating the enemy without a scratch relied entirely on Stone's guidance, Fang Zheng's thorough preparation, and a bit of luck...

After mastering this specialty, Fang Zheng eagerly returned to the temple, wanting to practice with Stone. But to his surprise, before he even stepped through the temple gates, he saw Stone, clad in armor, striding out. Stone then slapped a hand on Fang Zheng's shoulder and dragged him inside.

"Come on, kid, we've got work to do!"

"A battle?"

Fang Zheng was used to Stone's unpredictable behavior. He was stunned for a moment, then quickly reacted. After all, the temple wasn't keeping him out of charity. As a Guardian Knight Trainee, since he had already enjoyed the benefits the temple provided, it was only natural for him to contribute.

"Exactly."

As he led Fang Zheng down the corridor, Stone quickly explained.

"We just received a distress call from the Shadow Canyon. A squad of knights was tracking Cultists and went deep into the canyon. But they fell into a trap and are now trapped in the Plains of Bones... A bunch of idiots. Who allowed them to go to the Shadow Canyon? Don't they know that's the Twilight Borderlands? And now I have to clean up their mess..."

Hearing this, Fang Zheng couldn't help but twitch his mouth. He had a feeling that these Paladins might just be the unlucky bastards who got killed by his own body...

"Do I have to go too?"

"Of course. You're not weak, kid, and it looks like you've got enough practical experience now. Starmoon City is short on hands, and the only ones capable are you and me. Plus, your power is Sacred Power, which is perfect for countering those undead bastards. Let me see what you've got!"

As he spoke, the two reached the end of the corridor. Seeing Stone and Fang Zheng, the Holy Temple Warriors at the end quickly saluted them, then pushed open the heavy stone door behind them.

Behind the stone door was a massive circular teleportation array, the temple's most powerful tool. This array allowed for unlimited long-distance teleportation. In times of war, it could even use the Archbishops' power to directly transport troops to the battlefield.

Of course, while this array seemed invincible, it had its weaknesses. If the enemy casually anchored the space and sealed off the entire area, the array would be completely useless.

Still, for travel, the teleportation array was a pretty good choice.

"Hmm?"

But to Fang Zheng's surprise, after entering the teleportation hall, he soon spotted two figures beside the array. One was the Old Bishop, whom Fang Zheng was already familiar with. The other was somewhat unexpected—a cute young girl in a black robe. When she saw Fang Zheng, her face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head to stare at the ground without a word.

...If he remembered correctly, wasn't this the soft-spoken girl from City Hall who had verified his Star Pattern?

What was she doing here?

"How's the situation?"

Entering the hall, Stone immediately looked at the Old Bishop standing by the array. Hearing Stone's question, the Old Bishop shook his head helplessly.

"Not good. I barely managed to contact them, but it was cut off quickly..."

"These idiots."

Hearing the Old Bishop's reply, Stone rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"What about their Teleport Crystal?"

"The enemy used a Space Barrier. The Teleport Crystal is unusable..."

"So, at least a Lich-level opponent is waiting for us there?"

The more information he got, the darker Stone's expression became.

"What the hell are these fools thinking? Going to the Plains of Bones to fight a Lich? If they're so capable, why don't they charge into the Twilight Borderlands? Do they think they're strong enough to take a risk? I've always said those direct subordinates of the Bishop Council are unreliable—arrogant and self-righteous, but utterly useless... They haven't even weaned off their mother's milk, and they already think they can save the world!"

It had to be said, birds of a feather flock together. After spending so much time with Fang Zheng, Stone had readily picked up some of his seemingly nonsensical yet oddly fitting phrases.

"So, what now?"

"Leave it to her."

As he spoke, the Old Bishop glanced at the girl beside him. Sensing everyone's gaze, the girl trembled, then timidly raised her head and nodded at them.

"Miss M here can provide a coordinate to teleport you to the nearest location..."

M...

Hearing that name, Fang Zheng couldn't help but chuckle softly. But he wasn't surprised. During his days at the temple, Fang Zheng had gained enough understanding of this world. He knew that for Astrologers, names were a special secret, as they believed their names had a unique connection to the stars. Thus, Astrologers generally used code names instead of their real names in public. Only their mentors and family were entitled to know their true names.

However...

Looking at the girl before him, trembling like a little squirrel, Fang Zheng felt the code name suited her perfectly... From her appearance, she was definitely a weak, submissive type.

"Her?"

Compared to Fang Zheng, Stone was concerned about a different issue.

"Isn't that place under a Space Barrier? How is she going to lead us in?"

And upon hearing this, the young girl finally spoke in a small voice.

"Um... actually... I can observe the constellations' trajectories and point out a Starpath for you, one that isn't affected by the Space Barrier... but..."

"You can do that?"

Hearing this, Stone was taken aback.

"Finding the Starpath is a task that even high-level astrologers struggle to complete, as I recall!"

"Miss M is the most favored closed-door disciple of the Royal Astrologer Lord Oscar."

The Old Bishop finally chimed in.

"So you must ensure her safety—don't let this Young Lady suffer any harm. Otherwise, if that old man comes knocking, I won't be able to handle it."

"Wait... what do you mean by that?"

Hearing the Old Bishop's reply, Stone's expression shifted again, while the Old Bishop just smiled.

"Just as you heard, this Young Lady will accompany you to the Plains of Bones..."

"...Huh?"