Chapter 93: Specialty and Class Requirements

"Bang."

The bear goblin's headless corpse fell forward to the ground with a dull sound.

I shook off the blood staining the sword body.

Glancing at the corpse ahead, my face showed no excess expression.

The pressure this bear goblin brought me was far less than the one that almost wiped out the "Stinking Fish and Rotten Shrimp" squad back then.

Investigating the reason—my combat ability and experience improving was one aspect.

Another aspect was also because Forgan had already helped me smash off one of its arms, making its combat power plummet.

He himself was still supervising from the side.

Just the barbarian's high-pressure aura alone, enough to make ordinary goblins faint, made the bear goblin's strength drop by more than one tier.

This made me appear much more relaxed.

Just right actually.

This kind of neither-high-nor-low opponent also conveniently let me hone combat skills.

After one actual battle, just a few rounds.

I felt my improvement degree was more than practicing against air for an entire day.

After battle ended, naturally needed to clean the battlefield.

But goblin caves...

Could only say there truly weren't any valuable things.

Forget magical items with special effects—even ordinary equipment that could properly be sold to general stores or blacksmith shops to earn some small money basically didn't exist.

Including that fairly large-scale green-skin nest from two days ago, my entire gains were just six small stones of various sizes, sparkling brightly.

Didn't know how much they could sell for.

And only until now did I finally realize how good my luck had been to get the green equipment ring 【Deadline】 to drop from a bear goblin right after crossing over.

Not in a rush to sheathe the sword.

I held the sword hilt, effortlessly carrying it horizontally on my shoulder.

Ahead in the cave corner, Forgan stood motionless.

But cold wind suddenly surged around his body.

Could vaguely see a completely transparent, illusory winter wolf gradually taking form amid howling ice crystals.

Translucent claws lightly touched down, drifting and wandering in the cave.

Seemed to be searching for something.

Finding nothing.

After a few seconds, it returned to the barbarian's side, rather intimately rubbing its forehead emitting cold air against Forgan's arm before slowly dissipating.

I also withdrew my gaze.

The same scene—I'd already seen it once two days ago.

Although puzzled inwardly, I didn't ask much.

After all, he hadn't come to River Valley Town specifically because of commission. Teaching me combat skills was just incidental.

He should be investigating something himself.

Unrelated to me, and troubles involving the transcendent tier were definitely not something I could touch right now.

Cold air melting, temperature in the cave gradually rising.

I didn't directly leave.

Instead, carrying the longsword, I patiently and meticulously delivered finishing blows to the goblins lying in a large group on the ground.

Although due to rotting and stinking reasons, predicting I'd still need to stay in the forest many more days, I couldn't bring these "spoils" back to exchange for bounty.

But having come all this way, naturally couldn't let these green-skinned mongrels wake up alive.

"Sizzle."

Without mercy, the sharp sword tip pierced the fragile skin outside the windpipe.

The goblin's neck withered like a branch was instantly penetrated.

Deep in a faint from mental intimidation, even intense pain enough to be fatal could only make these weak monsters' bodies lightly tremble before quietly dying.

My movements were very efficient.

One sword per goblin—in just a few minutes, I sent away all nearly thirty goblins on the scene.

Inwardly felt it wasn't very interesting though.

Couldn't hear goblins' wailing screams before death, also couldn't see the panic and fear of death in their eyes.

As if something was missing.

Slaughtering them gave no feedback at all—felt uncomfortable all over.

The strange feeling even made me suspect whether I had some psychological problem.

"Wonder if this world has professions like psychologists. If it really doesn't work, go to a church to pray after returning?"

Chaotic thoughts flashed through my mind.

Pulling out gauze from my chest, wiping blood marks from the sword body's surface.

Planning to leave the cave, my face showed some reluctance.

Over twenty goblins plus one bear goblin.

Even without other equipment gains, just their bounties added up to a pretty good income.

Just unfortunately, right now I didn't have those conditions and couldn't bring them back. Otherwise my little treasury could rise another notch.

Speaking of which, if my skin was thicker, perhaps I could ask Forgan to help freeze these spoils, this way I could also bring them back...

"No no no."

That ice-cold face appeared before my eyes. I fiercely shook my head.

"Better forget it."

Two days wasn't enough to completely see through a person's personality.

My relationship with the barbarian was far from the kind where I could freely request help.

Distinguish priorities—following him to get 【Fang Hunt】 started was the most important thing now.

As for everything else, all just incidental.

Couldn't lose the big for the small.

Putting away the longsword.

In the corner of my eye, an icy gleam suddenly flashed.

My gaze looked over—only to see not far to my side, about six or seven feet from the headless corpse.

The bear goblin's head I'd chopped off had at some unknown time been covered with a layer of frost.

The left ear part was especially obvious, almost forming a small block of ice crystal.

A surprised expression appeared on my face. Then I heard a hoarse, blurred voice from ahead:

"A hunter with a blade stained in blood won't let himself go hungry."

"This is snowfield rules."

......

Night fell.

Rich mist drifted quietly in the air.

Firelight curling, silence throughout the woods.

I sat by the bonfire, hand holding a beast leg exuding a charred fragrance.

Seemed to have just been taken from the fire pile—juices overflowing, delicious yet scalding my tongue, making me gasp "ha ha" with hot air.

The barbarian hadn't prepared any supplies before departure. I'd originally been considering whether to share some of my brought food with him.

Unexpectedly, on the road back to camp, Forgan just glanced at some nearby grass clump where movement came from.

A giant wild boar nearly half a person's height seemed drunk, swaying and wobbling as it turned out.

Then in my gaze, with a "plop" directly fell before us both.

Just like pre-ordered takeout delivered to the door.

Really had to say,

Pretty fragrant.

As for drinking water, it was even more convenient for Forgan.

Didn't need any obvious movements—just silently sitting on the ground, cold wind emitting cold air whooshed into the water bottle before him, then obediently melted into clear ice water under flame burning.

Come to think of it too.

With strength at their level, no matter how poorly they did, they couldn't possibly starve to death.

I watched from the side, inwardly somewhat envious.

Also didn't know when I could reach this strength level where just aura and imposing presence could easily intimidate enemies.

But thinking that my 【Whirlwind Slash】 already practiced to max level might be wasted, and to become a professional I might still need to learn two more combat skills, I couldn't help feeling a headache.

Troubled, as if remembering something, my eyes couldn't help brightening.

I asked Forgan sitting across the bonfire:

"Tell me, is there this possibility..."

"【Whirlwind Slash】 and 【Fang Hunt】, plus the third combat skill I learn afterward, just happen to satisfy some profession's advancement conditions?"

This way would save me the effort of finding another combat skill.

But as soon as I spoke, I felt like I'd said something stupid.

Not very realistic.

With so many combat skills in this world, many niche obscure professions even needed special class-taking ceremonies.

If I really consecutively guessed all three correctly like this...

Then I could only suspect whether the Smiling Lady in the divine kingdom had mistakenly taken a liking to me.

Rather than considering this unrealistic fantasy, might as well pray that my current 【Whirlwind Slash】 was actually some combat skill under the "Warrior" category.

Consciously feeling hope slim, I didn't hold expectations for this.

But unexpectedly, the barbarian usually silent as ice, facing my question, lightly nodded.

Hm?

There's a chance!?

"When the combat skill reached 'proficient,' did you have any special feeling?"

Ice-blue eyes reflecting the orange-red firelight before him, Forgan slowly said.

"Feeling?" My brow slightly furrowed, seeming to recall the scene at the time. "Strength became greater, body more nimble?"

I naturally couldn't directly explain to him that lv5 【Whirlwind Slash】 directly provided me two attribute points in "Strength" and "Agility."

So I vaguely summarized my experience when leveling up.

But regarding this point, the half-elves had also mentioned to me before—after practicing combat skills to "proficient," body attributes being strengthened was common knowledge among adventurers in this world.

Seemed... nothing special?

"No." Forgan held in his hand that black obsidian short axe, the pitch-black smooth axe face reflecting his rough, cold face. "It's another kind of thing."

"Talent, skill, holy covenant bestowal, awakening mark..."

"It has many names, but essentially they're all the same type of thing."

"—Directional strengthening of combat, magic, survival instincts, and professional characteristics. Can also be viewed as a concrete manifestation of your past experiences."

【Specialty】!?

In just one second, I connected the content he described with the 【Specialty】 on my system panel.

Carefully recalling, my first specialty in this world, 【Chopping Master】, wasn't it obtained right after 【Whirlwind Slash】 maxed out?

"But what does this have to do with obtaining professional level?"

In the camp warmed by flames, cold wind suddenly blew.

Ice crystals visible to the naked eye rapidly condensed in the air, transforming into substantial miniature snowstorms, coiling and spiraling around the black obsidian small axe.

Countless tiny snow grains rubbed and collided with the axe face, producing crisp, dense sounds.

The already sharp axe blade, under ice and snow scouring, emitted a cold light as if it could split the night.

He was sharpening his blade.

"This special skill doesn't flow on the surface like your increased physical attributes. Like ice crystals covered by highland deep snow—many people don't even realize their talent in some aspect for their entire lives."

"And in the vast majority of cases, unless through bloodline inheritance or some rare special experiences, to obtain this ability you can only increase probability by practicing combat skills to 'proficient' level through day after day of arduous training."

Simply put, if you compared "profession" to the necklace on the barbarian's chest.

Then the three combat skills needed to obtain professional level were the chain links forming the necklace body, connecting head to tail.

And "specialty" was the pendants decorating between the necklace's links.

In the vast majority of times, even if just a bare chain with no ornaments at all.

It still didn't affect its completeness.

Just looked a bit ugly, but the necklace itself still existed.

—"Profession" didn't require "specialty."

Conversely, if you only had several exquisite pendants in hand but no links that could string them together.

Then it couldn't be called a necklace.

—"Specialty" wasn't a prerequisite for obtaining professional level.

In this situation, if you wanted to glue together three combat skills from different branches to form a completely different new profession from their categories.

Then it was like forcibly linking different parts of three necklaces together.

Even if barely successful, the chain connection points would often twist and deform due to different link sizes and thicknesses, making some invisible great power from outside called "rules" unable to stop itself from tearing it apart.

With this as premise, if you happened to possess several good "pendant" specialties.

Interspersing them to cover those ugly connecting parts.

Then even if your necklace looked extremely strange—even if half gold chain, half bone chain, with a leaf hanging in the middle.

As long as it itself didn't look like it had obvious flaws.

No one would actively come pull your chain.

It would work.

Summarizing,

"Talent specialties can greatly increase the probability of obtaining professional level."

But the specific type of profession taken office would be like that patchwork necklace that had to rely on pendants to cover it up to barely take form.

"Depends on your specialty."

I sat by the fire pile, the roast meat in my hand already cooled under cold air blowing.

My mind rapidly digested the advancement knowledge I'd just heard.

The expression on my face gradually became strange.

For people in this world, I with the system panel could clearly see my attribute and skill information.

Even due to several fortuitous encounters, obtained multiple specialties.

But if as Forgan just said, specialties while improving class-taking success rate would also largely influence profession category...

【Chopping Master】 was still fine—counted as a proper melee specialty, probably could connect to basic professions like "Warrior";

【Light-Bathed One】 was slightly troublesome. Although radiance damage reduction also belonged to part of Constitution-type resistance, what if like that existence in its remarks, it gave me some evil alignment niche profession needing corresponding means to level up—then I'd probably have to walk the wrong path;

As for 【Iron Bones】...

I couldn't imagine,

When this specialty obviously from another world, never appeared in this world before, became part of the class-taking conditions.

Pieced together with the two completely unrelated specialties above, then combined with 【Whirlwind Slash】 and 【Fang Hunt】...

What kind of thing would be pinched out.