Will There Be a Chance?

Under the moonlight, Isla's outstretched arm froze halfway through the air.

She pretended nothing had happened, stretching backward before quickly drawing her arm back as though merely loosening up.

He Xi had no idea what he had just missed.

Seeing Isla's slightly puffed cheeks, flushed face, and clearly sulky expression, his heart skipped a beat.

Was she still angry about that William?

Thinking of William's filthy words and lewd insinuations, He Xi's gaze turned cold.

The sight of Isla stepping in front of him without hesitation and drawing her sword to defend him had warmed his heart even more.

What was he supposed to do now?

In all the webnovels he had read in his previous life, this was when the guy was supposed to help the girl get even.

Though he could not beat that Omega-shaped Chin for now, he could comfort her first and deal with William once he became stronger.

He Xi instantly felt that all those books had not been read in vain.

After all, he was no dense, steel-hearted straight guy. He knew the routine.

"Isla? Earlier..." He Xi called out tentatively.

Isla suddenly snapped back to her senses. Her eyes flickered, and her voice carried a trace of barely perceptible panic. "Y-You should tell Instructor Edwin yourself!"

After saying that, seemingly afraid He Xi would ask more, she turned and quickened her pace without waiting for him to react.

She practically jogged off into the end of the path shrouded in night, leaving He Xi standing alone beneath the moonlight, his thoughts in a mess.

The next morning, the sun was shining brightly.

On the packed training ground behind the cottage Edwin rented, He Xi was panting as he ran around the edge of the field.

Sweat had soaked through his thin coarse linen shirt. His breathing came in ragged gasps, and his feet felt as heavy as lead.

Old knight Edwin stood in the center of the field with his arms folded, his graying beard bobbing with each stern word.

"Hmph! I heard all about it from Isla yesterday!" Edwin's booming voice was filled with frustrated anger. "Not only did you skip training, you even told her you wouldn't come back?!"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. He strode up to He Xi and blocked his path.

"What good is coming back to train now?! If word gets out, people will think I, Edwin, am so incompetent that I can't even keep an apprentice! How embarrassing! You're disgracing this old face of mine!"

He Xi stopped, gasping for breath, and was just about to explain. "Instructor Edwin, I..."

"Shut up!" Edwin cut him off mercilessly. "Don't you know your own condition?

"If you hadn't squatted outside my door for three days and sworn you wanted to learn, I would never have taken pity on you and reluctantly accepted you! And what happened? You don't even have the patience of goblins counting Copper Nails!"

The more he said, the more worked up he became, to the point that his spit was nearly flying into He Xi's face.

"If Isla hadn't stopped me yesterday, I would've rushed to that broken shack of yours, dragged you out of bed, and given you a damn good beating!"

Before his words had even faded, Edwin's large hand shot out! He Xi saw a blur before a powerful grip clamped down on his arm and the back of his collar!

"Huh?! Instructor, wait!" He Xi cried out.

But although Edwin was old, his strength and technique were far beyond what He Xi, a "weakling," could match. With a twist of his waist and a burst of force from his arm, he actually lifted He Xi off the ground like a chick!

"I didn't expect you to come knocking on my door today! Perfect. Saves me a trip! Let's see if I don't give that donkey-kicked ass of yours another couple of kicks today!"

Dangling with both feet off the ground, He Xi kicked futilely in the air. "Instructor Edwin! Calm down! My ass was kicked by a donkey, so you definitely can't kick it again, or else..."

That only made the old knight angrier. He raised his foot, ready to deliver a solid flying kick to He Xi's backside.

"Instructor!"

Isla hurried over and stopped Edwin just in time.

"Instructor, please don't be angry! H-He helped me out at the ball yesterday. Please don't hold it against him. Teach him a little longer."

The moment Edwin saw Isla, most of the anger on his face vanished, replaced by a kindly expression.

He was sincerely pleased with this talented, diligent apprentice of his.

Though he kept talking, his grip loosened. He Xi hit the ground with a thud, clutching his backside and grimacing in pain.

"I can't teach him, I can't. This kid's body is too weak. He can't even endure the most basic strength training. Continuing would just be a waste of time."

Edwin turned to Isla, and his tone immediately became incomparably gentle. "Isla, I have something to tell you. Saint Veronica Knight Academy has sent its reply!"

Isla's eyes instantly lit up.

Edwin's face was full of pride. "There are still two months until official enrollment. Next week, a group from town will be heading out. I've already spoken to them, and we'll leave together then!"

Saint Veronica Knight Academy was one of the most prestigious knight academies on the Lola Continent.

Despite her young age, Isla had not only mastered the beginner-level Holy Light Strike, but had even comprehended the signature skill of an apprentice knight, Guardian of Faith.

Together with Edwin's personal letter of recommendation, this had earned her the opportunity to further her studies.

It should have been tremendous news.

Yet upon hearing it, Isla felt an inexplicable sense of loss.

Her gaze drifted involuntarily toward He Xi, who was still sitting on the ground rubbing his backside.

He Xi stood up through the pain and happily congratulated Isla. "Isla, congratulations! When I get the chance, I'll definitely go to Saint Veronica to find you!"

Looking at He Xi's sincere smile, Isla felt as though something had lodged itself in her heart.

Will there be a chance? Isla silently asked herself.

Yesterday's words echoed in her ears once more—"He won't live much longer!"

He Xi's tacit acceptance of that, along with Instructor Edwin's assessment of his physical condition...

She forced a smile and softly murmured, "Mm."

On the way back.

Although He Xi had failed to secure another chance to continue training, Edwin's words before they parted had given him far more crucial information.

Before he left, Edwin patiently explained much about the basics of becoming a classed professional.

It turned out that on this continent, the requirements for learning the foundational skills of each profession were not actually as high as imagined.

Skills like a warrior's Brute Force Chop or a ranger's Precise Shot could theoretically be learned by anyone.

But if one's innate Strength or Agility did not meet the minimum requirement, then even with knowledge of the training methods, it would be difficult to truly master them.

Whether someone could master a profession's foundational skill was the minimum standard for determining whether they were qualified to continue down that path.

Once successfully mastered, repeated use and growing proficiency would slowly improve the corresponding physical attributes in turn, creating a virtuous cycle.

So, in theory, a person had the chance to master the skills of every profession.

You might even see a knight clad in heavy armor charge before an enemy, then suddenly form a Fireball and detonate it right in their face.

Of course, such situations were exceedingly rare.

After all, if someone possessed magical talent, who would waste precious time on tedious Strength and Agility training?

A knight's Holy Light Strike, meanwhile, required a certain degree of willpower in addition to Strength.

He Xi could not even meet the most basic Strength requirement, let alone possess sufficient willpower.

That was why Edwin had concluded that continuing to train would only be wasted effort.

After hearing all this, He Xi became even more certain of his idea.

Since the skills of classed professionals were essentially techniques based on physical attributes, then extraordinary creatures born with powerful physiques should theoretically have the chance to master those skills too!

This plan should work!

There was only one problem...

He did not know how.