Reunion with "Zorro"

Gell had already been investing time, money, and connections to find a suitable Extraordinary Trait for Evan since their training together over a month ago.

If they had just been looking for something passable, finding Demonic Creatures or ferocious beasts wouldn't have been difficult. However, finding high-quality demonic materials that resonated with him was a major challenge that consumed both financial resources and luck.

The demonic heart of the Blue Flag Demon Shark was already an extremely rare top-grade material for an agility-based Extraordinary Trait. Gell had to pull in a significant favor and pay a premium to acquire it.

If Evan had stuck to his original strategy of slowly accumulating military merits to exchange for materials, even if he could eventually obtain similar items, they would only be common goods. There would be no way to get anything of this quality.

It was no wonder that well-informed individuals within the Navy couldn't help but feel envious, risking offending Gell, a former Fourth-Rate Ship Captain and Navy Colonel, to intercept it beforehand.

This was precisely why Gell had specifically requested that Evan be notified immediately to sign for the materials once they were in storage. The Major in charge of this matter could block the McNesson Family's butler, but he might not be able to block everyone.

However.

His advance preparation of the Extraordinary Trait was only the first step for Evan's breakthrough. The subsequent collection of auxiliary ingredients, potion concoction, transmission of breakthrough experience, and selection of the venue and timing all required careful execution, step by step.

Gell never expected Evan to be so fast that he concocted the potion himself on the same day he received the Extraordinary Trait, and even "successfully broke through to Extraordinary" the very next day.

With his wife and child not in Gabreid, Gell, who practically lived on his warship, had only returned to the Silver Wing early this morning. Before he could even rest, he heard Gary rushing to inform him of Evan's breakthrough.

But unlike the other crew members, Gell's first reaction wasn't surprise, but utter shock, even fear!

Breaking through from a First-Rank Apprentice Knight to a true Second-Rank Extraordinary Formal Knight was a qualitative leap from mortal to Extraordinary. However, it was also the most dangerous advancement on the Knight's Path, prone to losing control.

While the Knight's Path was mainstream in civilized worlds and known for its stability and safety, in reality, perhaps only two or three out of ten Peak Apprentice Knights could advance successfully in one go.

Among those who failed, the few in the best condition might have another chance to attempt the breakthrough after several years of recovery.

Many more were crippled after failing, their Extraordinary Path severed forever. The unluckiest among them couldn't withstand the impact of the Savage Body Transformation, losing control and turning into bloodthirsty, man-eating Beasts – it wasn't uncommon.

Lord Nabuli, the City Guard Commander of Leopold, who had been at the Peak Apprentice stage for many years, lacked the courage to take that step precisely for this reason.

Therefore, one could imagine how horrified Gell was upon hearing of Evan's "successful breakthrough"!

No matter how mature and steady younger generations were, they were still children in the eyes of their elders. Recklessness and ignorance of the world were inherent labels. Even if spoken well of, Gell wouldn't be at ease until he saw it with his own eyes.

Bang—

A ring of air exploded beneath his feet.

Gell grabbed Gary and, using the strength of a Peak Formal Knight, dashed towards their living quarters, fearing his worries would become reality.

Fortunately, the feared outcome did not occur. The actual reality was that Evan had once again surprised him!

Even immediately after breaking through, he could calmly enjoy breakfast as if what he had just experienced wasn't a near-death Extraordinary Transformation, but a simple outing.

If not for his Extraordinary Perception detecting Evan's Life Force Field, which had clearly amplified several times, Gell would have thought he was still just an Apprentice Knight.

At this moment, a thousand words could only be condensed into one: "Evan, I'm proud of you!"

Afterward, Evan politely declined Gell's suggestion to hold a grand celebration banquet for him, although his reasons were sound.

The birth of a direct descendant Extraordinary was a major event for any noble family, worthy of celebration with a banquet.

In fact, if the Garratt Family were still around, this might have been an opportunity for their revival, truly worthy of significant fanfare and a tangible deterrent to potential enemies.

But Evan had his own perspective.

They were no longer the Kingdom's nobles of the past who emphasized power and prestige. In the Navy, status was determined by strength and merit.

It was precisely because Gell was a Peak Extraordinary Knight, even a powerful existence with the potential to become a Third-Rank Grand Knight, that he could procure high-quality Extraordinary materials for Evan. His influence alone made the Logistics Supervisor hesitant and avoid making the wrong choice.

And all of this relied not on so-called social connections, but on strength!

Apart from a few truly genuine friends in one's life, other social interactions were merely for the exchange of benefits. Without corresponding strength, you weren't part of the circle. At critical moments, even having the contact information of the richest person would be useless.

Evan had seen this point with utmost clarity in his previous life.

"Uncle, let's just have a small celebration on the Silver Wing."

After hearing Evan's thoughts, Gell's originally surprised eyes changed again. With affection mixed with pride, he said after a long pause, "Evan, you're a grown man now!"

Evan's thoughts and perspective on viewing matters made it difficult for Gell to see him as just a teenager anymore.

He even began to associate Evan's current mature thinking with the misfortunes he suffered in his childhood. While feeling pity for his old friend, he gradually began to view Evan as an equal adult, no longer a tender junior who needed careful looking after.

Just as he had said himself, the fledgling eagle now had the ambition to soar through the skies! What reason did the old eagle have not to let him fly?

"Cheers!"

"May Captain Evan's martial luck be prosperous!"

"..."

The celebratory banquet on the Silver Wing for Evan's promotion to Captain and breakthrough to Formal Knight was naturally lively, and we will not elaborate further here.

Afterward, Gell granted Evan a long leave.

While the recovery period after transformation wasn't as strict as a woman's confinement after childbirth, requiring her to stay indoors, it was still not suitable for being at sea, especially since the food at sea was far less varied than on land.

Evan readily agreed.

Besides his daily routine of cultivation and training, he did nothing but eat and eat. During this special period, with his excellent appetite and ample funds, Evan ate his way through all the large and small eateries in Gabreid, and he did so... voraciously!

Yet, after a week, he hadn't gained any weight at all. Instead, his physique became even more perfectly proportioned. Annoying, wasn't it?

"What should I eat today? It needs to be delicious and nutritious. I'm having trouble choosing!" In the evening, walking through the streets of Gabreid, a week was enough for Evan to try out all the more famous restaurants. Cultivation and savoring delicacies went hand in hand, making Evan reluctant to leave.

"Hm? This person looks a little familiar!"

Evan, who was observing a restaurant on the street, suddenly noticed a familiar figure flash by the corner of his eye. As he quickly turned his head, he saw a young man hurrying into a secluded alley.

He didn't need to recall carefully; his Data Vision immediately prompted him that this guy was actually the mysterious thief "Zorro" from that night!

It was just that he wasn't wearing his signature attire today. However, Data Vision didn't just identify people by their faces; parameters like build, height, posture, stride, and so on were far more accurate than facial recognition.

Without hesitation, Evan immediately turned and followed him.

Ever since becoming a Wizard Apprentice, Evan increasingly felt that this guy must have a big secret. Perhaps he held the key for Evan to enter the wizarding world. This was an opportunity he absolutely could not miss.