Corona Swordsmanship Black Market

Ron still wanted to press him for answers, but when he saw the other man's gloomy expression, he chose to suppress his doubts for the time being.

He knew very well that in this bizarre and terrifying dark world, knowing too much was sometimes not a good thing.

After saying goodbye to Andre and returning to the dormitory, Ron still couldn't calm down. Those strange scenes kept surfacing in his mind, refusing to fade, making waves of nausea rise within him.

"Where on earth did Locke get that kind of forbidden drug?"

He muttered to himself, then opened the system panel to check his status:

Ron Ralph

Age: 15

Current Combat Profession: Knight Squire (One Star)

Current Life Profession: Potion Apprentice (One Star)

Attributes: Constitution 1.4 Spirit 1.6 Mana 0.4

Skills:

Basic Potionology (Proficient), Basic Meditation (Novice), Slime Splash (Novice), Potion Brewing (Novice), Herb Identification (Novice), Basic Swordsmanship (Novice), Breathing Body Tempering (Novice)

Special Talent: Dual Soul, Remnant of the Blessing of the Sun

Power Level: Knight Squire

"At least I have my cheat ability. I don't need to take those crooked paths." Ron looked at the steadily improving figures, feeling slightly comforted.

Besides, at his current meditation improvement rate, he might even have a chance to advance this month. By then, many problems would resolve themselves.

Just then, a muffled thud came from Darund's room next door, interrupting Ron's thoughts.

"Damn Sonic Spell! Why did it fail again?" An angry curse came through the wall.

Ron shook his head with a bitter smile. His neighbor's persistence was indeed admirable.

Although he failed every day, he had never considered taking a shortcut. But if things continued like this, he might not even pass the apprentice assessment.

Still, he didn't have the time to worry about other people's affairs...

Night fell, and the Black Mist Forest sank into silence.

Yet in certain hidden corners, people were still carrying out dealings that could not see the light of day.

"Did you hear? Another servant died near Tower Three."

"Sigh... That fellow Marcus has been studying some kind of curse witchcraft lately. His methods are especially vicious."

"Tut-tut. Still, becoming his servant at least lets you keep your life. Although every night is miserable, it's better than those poor wretches who become experimental subjects or food for magical beasts."

Scattered voices of discussion came from the end of the corridor, where several female servants dressed in luxurious, flamboyant clothing had gathered.

There was a hint of arrogance on their faces. After all, in this world of survival of the fittest, being able to attach themselves to the strong could also count as a form of capital.

Ron stood behind his door. After tempering his body, his enhanced senses allowed him to hear their whispers clearly through it.

Most of it was idle chatter, but he occasionally heard some useful information.

"That Locke is an absolute idiot. He actually went to a black-market merchant to buy forbidden potions."

"But that has nothing to do with us anymore. Those people only target Candidate Apprentices whose deadlines are approaching. Those people are doomed anyway, so they might as well make some extra money."

"Black-market merchant." He silently committed the term to memory. Having one more channel was always a good thing.

The footsteps gradually faded, and the corridor fell silent once more.

In a place he could not see, the servants who had deliberately spoken loudly soon left the dormitory area and respectfully gathered before a gray-robed figure.

At dawn the next morning, Ron lost his desire to sleep. Remembering that he still had time today, he quickly climbed out of bed.

Since there was still plenty of time before he had to go work at the herb shop in the Apprentice Market, he simply sat down at the table and opened the notes on "Corona Swordsmanship" that Andre had given him.

This was a special swordsmanship technique designed to work with the "Corona Breathing Technique." It emphasized using breathing to guide the body's movements, making each sword stroke blaze like the sun.

The School could be said to be fairly generous to Candidate Apprentices like them. Although the private dormitory rooms had little furniture, they were spacious enough for him to swing a sword and train inside with room to spare.

"I'll start with the most basic opening stance." Ron picked up a wooden sword and stood in the center of the room.

Basic Swordsmanship training begins

Please use the Corona Breathing Technique to guide your movements

After tempering his body twice, he had already gained a deep understanding of the rhythm of the "Corona Breathing Technique."

This rhythm could not only guide mental power, but also fill every movement of his body with strength.

Drawing a deep breath, he began practicing the most basic slashes according to the essentials recorded in the notes.

He was still somewhat unfamiliar at first, but as his breathing gradually fell into harmony with the movements, they became smoother and smoother.

Each sword swing matched the rhythm of his breathing: inhaling to gather momentum, holding his breath to focus, and exhaling as he struck.

The wooden sword carved trails through the air, stirring up faint sounds of wind.

Basic Swordsmanship Experience +1

Basic Swordsmanship Experience +1

Basic Swordsmanship Experience +1

...

"The progress at the novice stage really is fast."

Ron looked at the data on the panel, a smile appearing on his face.

The perfect compatibility between this swordsmanship and the "Corona Breathing Technique" made him feel completely at home during practice. On top of that, the Knight Squire profession increased the rate at which he improved his swordsmanship skills.

Every sword swing performed to the correct rhythm made him feel that his understanding of the technique had advanced another step.

It felt as if his muscles were memorizing some special rhythm, filling every movement with power.

"This gives me a new idea." Ron seemed to realize something. "'Using breathing to guide the sword'... It feels like something I could apply in actual combat."

He continued practicing the basic slashes, the wooden sword's trajectory gradually becoming smooth and rounded.

Under the guidance of proper breathing, even the simplest movement could contain a special rhythm.

Just as he was absorbed in his training, a rapid knock on the door interrupted him.

"It's me." Andre's deep voice came from outside.

Ron put away the wooden training sword, casually wiped away his sweat with a towel, and went to open the door.

After opening it, he found that the Thirteenth Prince's expression was extremely anxious.

"There's something I have to tell you." Andre closed the door as he spoke, lowering his voice to a whisper:

"I just found out that the reason Locke was willing to take such a desperate risk was because he received some information."