Panel Update, Black Pearl's Invitation

The sun cast a little light through the clouds—some, but not much.

First, Braavos had more overcast and foggy days; second, Braavos was a rocky island, where trees were extremely scarce.

Clack!

Clack!

Under the shifting dappled light, Viserys Targaryen raised the blunted sword in his hand and traded blows with Roland Lake.

"Your Majesty, be careful."

"Come."

After a period of training, Viserys had begun to carry himself like a warrior.

The tall, handsome swordsman with silver hair and violet eyes was like a bright, sharp spear.

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Viserys watched Ser Roland's attacks. The Way of Insight lay in observation through the five senses.

Drills were bloodless war, and war was bloody drills.

Only with that mindset could they avoid casualties on the battlefield in the future.

Syrio, Moro, Rhaenys, and Daenerys were all watching the fight.

Syrio watched the Iron Dance. It was completely different from the Water Dancing popular in Braavos.

Formal knightly duels in Westeros were generally fought while heavily laden.

Viserys first put on thick riding trousers and a padded coat, then donned a newly acquired suit of plate armor.

Ser Roland wore boiled leather beneath a coat of chainmail.

Since Braavos was somewhat colder, it did not feel too hot.

Both men put on iron helms and drew two blunted swords.

Ser Roland swung his blunt sword. He had more experience than Viserys, having lived on the edge of a blade while wandering the Free Trade Cities.

Clack! Clack!

Neither carried a shield. They simply hacked at each other with blunted swords, relying entirely on parries, dodges, and footwork as the sound of clashing metal echoed through the courtyard.

Viserys held the advantage in speed and landed more hits.

But Ser Roland's blows were far more vicious in terms of strength.

Still, Viserys quickly found an opening. Knightly combat consumed too much stamina; wearing an iron can was incredibly cumbersome.

Heavily armored knights emphasized defense at the appropriate expense of speed.

Especially since they had no horses to lend them momentum and had to rely entirely on their own strength on foot.

So Viserys fought defensively and counterattacked, turning and shifting constantly.

After circling for a while, Roland's attacking rhythm gradually bogged down. His strikes slowed, and his stamina began to fail.

Viserys seized the opportunity. Roland's sword strikes were dropping lower and lower, while his rhythm grew slower.

Viserys charged in, his blunt sword whirling. He easily avoided Roland's attack and countered.

In the end, amid the confusion, their swords tangled together, and Viserys viciously slammed his shoulder into Roland.

"Viserys!"

"Viserys!" Rhaenys and Daenerys acted as cheerleaders.

Syrio and Moro smiled. Viserys had already become quite skilled in combat techniques.

Master one method, and a hundred methods followed. With his superior attributes, Viserys progressed faster than ordinary people in both Water Dancing and the Iron Dance.

"A beautiful victory, Your Majesty." Roland plopped down onto the ground and waved his hand.

The servants stepped forward to remove their armor, and Roland wore a cheerful smile.

Though he had lost, it was a good thing for Ser Roland.

Viserys's performance had been extraordinary. Only a Talent like him could achieve the impossible dream of restoring the kingdom.

Otherwise, if they relied on a foolish knight who had taken up the path halfway through, some young lordling, the royalists truly had no hope to speak of.

"Next time, we can use blunt axes and maces for practice," Roland said.

Blunt axes, maces, and flails focused more on strength training. Knights often specialized in one area while remaining proficient in many others.

Longswords, spears, and longbows were core training, but they still needed to know how to use other weapons.

"Fine." Viserys nodded.

"Your speed and strength are both incredible, Your Majesty. Though Water Dancers focus on speed and balance, a warrior of your age and build should not possess such strength. At the same time, the gods have blessed you with excellent endurance," Ser Roland said.

Generally speaking, a warrior was a combination of strength, speed, and endurance.

But advancing as a knight was not a matter of assigning points. In reality, only some top-tier knights could balance those attributes.

Like the Usurper, the Kingslayer, Brienne, and Barristan.

A mountain of flesh like The Mountain was a "tank." He was somewhat slower, but his strength and durability were outstanding.

Viserys looked lean and lanky, the type generally better suited to speed. In terms of stamina, he should certainly have been inferior to someone built like a block.

But Viserys had also assigned points, spending resources on sea snails and dragon bones. His strength had not fallen behind either.

"This is truly the blessing of the gods," Viserys said.

"Panel, let me see your limits." What blessing of the gods? Having cheats was just too overpowered. Viserys had been constantly strengthening his attributes.

"Fighting with sword and shield is exhausting. Victory often belongs to the one who lasts the longest. Master Syrio and Master Moro are good instructors, and I see that you have already grasped the true essence of combat. Fight cautiously. Preserve your strength while luring and exhausting your opponent."

Syrio waved a hand. "We can only be considered instructors. More importantly, Viserys himself possesses Talent and diligence."

"The road is long, and I still have much to learn," Viserys said. Even a true master needed the heart of an apprentice, much less someone who was not yet a master.

"It is good that you think that way. For the next training session, you will continue learning the Way of Insight with me," Syrio said. "But rest first."

Viserys nodded, then brought up his panel.

After some time, Viserys's attributes had improved considerably.

[Viserys Targaryen]

[Age: 14]

[Class: Fate Reverser (Beginner), Water Dancer (Proficient), Singer (Master), Gourmet (Legendary)]

[Reputation: A Landless King Whose Fame Is Rising]

[Charisma: High]

[Companions: None]

[Attributes: Strength 2.2, Toughness 2.2, Agility 2.3, Spirit 1.7.]

[Special Talents: Cannibal, God of Cuisine, Insight]

Viserys looked over his panel. These were classes he had acquired entirely through later investment.

The "Dragon Dreamer" and "the Unburnt" that should have belonged to the dragon king's family were absent, though perhaps they could only be activated after he obtained dragon eggs.

The Gourmet and Singer classes had been added, both life-oriented classes placed at the end.

But they seemed to have been directly instilled in him, making them the highest-ranked among his four classes.

What Viserys cared about more were his attributes. Agility was his highest, Spirit his lowest, but they were already exceptionally balanced.

A strength attribute above 2 points qualified one as a second-rate warrior, yet few warriors could be considered true all-rounders like Viserys, with no glaring weakness in their attributes.

In battle, those with the best balance were often the strongest.

Against opponents of the same level, Viserys held a great advantage.

Viserys looked happily at the panel. As long as his attributes kept soaring, the road ahead would grow broader.

As the sun rose and moon fell, the grueling day of training came to an end.

Viserys also discovered that he had received two new gifts.

The first was ingredients sent by Nightingale, supposedly extremely precious.

Viserys opened the tank and found a pair of enormous dark brown crabs, each weighing roughly six or seven kilograms.

Viserys thought of king crabs. Perhaps these Sea Lord Crabs were this world's equivalent of king crabs.

"A few Sea Lord Crabs, offered as a token of my respect in return for the beauty of your song." Nightingale's handwriting was elegant and captivating, just like her appearance. The back of the letter bore a yellow nightingale emblem and seal.

Nightingale was very good at winning people over. This was also a gesture of goodwill.

"We are in for a feast." Syrio dropped his stern expression and spoke happily. "Sea Lord Crabs are incredibly valuable. They are found only north of the frigid Shivering Sea. Catching them is extremely difficult. Sailors must endure cold, storms, and mortal danger, which makes them one of the most expensive kinds of seafood."

"But how are they so fresh in this season? Nightingale truly has her methods," Moro said.

These expensive ingredients were seasonal. During the off-season, only those at the very top could afford to enjoy them.

It was like crab fishermen on the Frozen Sea—the most dangerous job there was.

Viserys studied the Sea Lord Crabs. They might also provide a strength buff, just like sea snails.

It was Viserys's intuition. Since this world contained elements and magic, giant crabs from the deep sea were bound to carry some strength as well.

"There is also an invitation, from Black Pearl."

"Black Pearl." Viserys took the invitation. A large black pearl was set into its back.

This single black pearl alone displayed the wealth of the foremost socialite.

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