"Acquiring professional skills is the most basic condition for becoming a professional..."

Bern recounted these messages he had heard from his predecessors: "That is to say, without skills, one can never become a professional no matter what."

Lin Mo nodded. The condition for becoming a professional being related to skills also matched his previous speculation.

"Then what about the specifics?"

"Since you have skills, you should know this too, right? When you successfully acquire a skill, your ability in a certain direction will simultaneously receive a leap-like improvement."

This was indeed true. When Lin Mo comprehended the "Slash" skill, his strength had increased by one point.

"This kind of improvement is related to the type of skill. For example, my 'Shield Bash' belongs to the knight class skills, which improves my physical quality and resistance to strikes. Warrior class skills improve strength or speed depending on the power or agility direction. By analogy, assassins and rangers usually improve speed, while mage lords obtain magic power..."

Bern extended two fingers: "Such changes will happen two more times as you continuously use and refine your skills."

"One occurs when you can skillfully use the skill, and the other occurs after you completely master this skill. When you reach the corresponding stage, the accumulation and effort over a long time will receive generous rewards at this moment."

"If you experience these complete three changes, the ability in the corresponding direction will generally reach or approach a critical point. Successfully reaching this critical point will formally appoint you as the corresponding profession, and abilities in all aspects will receive another greater leap-like improvement!"

So that's how it is... Through skills, you obtain attribute improvements, and only after attributes improve to a certain extent can you be appointed to a profession.

And after successful appointment, you receive another greater attribute improvement. This is precisely the reason for the huge gap between professionals and non-professionals.

Lin Mo nodded, touched his chest, and suddenly remembered something: "Can each person only obtain one profession? Can't someone hold two professions simultaneously?"

Bern was stunned, seemingly caught off guard by the question: "I'm not really clear about this... But it should be possible. Those stories compiled by bards have featured adventurers with dual professions, so this shouldn't be groundless."

As he spoke, he gave Lin Mo a somewhat strange look.

Most people would be burning incense in gratitude just to successfully get appointed to a profession—where would they go to consider such problems?

"Young people should still keep their feet on the ground. After all, human energy is limited. Even those princes and nobles in the capital—they have talent and almost inexhaustible resources—they wouldn't consider practicing two professions simultaneously, let alone us adventurers with average talent like us."

From Bern's perspective, compared to his headache-inducing nephew Evan, the Lin Mo before him might be considered a talented youth. But if compared to those great nobles of noble bloodline, he would be far inferior...

"I understand, thank you for the reminder."

Lin Mo didn't refute anything, since from Bern's perspective, what he said was undoubtedly the truth.

It's just that Lin Mo's situation was somewhat different.

His mastery of skills didn't require years of continuous use and practice—he only needed to kill monsters or enemies to obtain proficiency and increase levels.

This meant that as long as he kept using skills to kill monsters and grind proficiency, he could completely develop two or even more professions simultaneously, becoming a "full-time expert" without weaknesses.

Lin Mo had never hoped so much to see monsters appear. At this moment, he wished a hundred Goblins would suddenly appear before him, lining up for him to grind them one by one.

Of course, this was just a thought. If they really came, he'd probably have to figure out how to run away first.

On the other side, Evan and Miriam were still playing around... Of course, it was mainly Evan pestering Miriam, while that short-haired ranger girl showed disgust on her face, seemingly unwilling to pay him much attention.

"When nearby children gathered to play, he also relied on a carefully polished branch and a decent-looking 'sword' technique to become the king of children. From that time on, he often said he was a sword technique genius, born to practice swordplay."

"Later he gradually grew up and, as his parents expected, became unwilling to accept an ordinary life. He often clamored about becoming an adventurer. So about two years ago, his father came to me, asking me to help take care of him..."

However, the later story wasn't as beautiful as imagined in childhood.

Evan wasn't truly a genius. Although he successfully became an adventurer with his uncle's help, he undoubtedly became the lowest level within this group.

This pitiful mediocrity that had to be accepted was a growth experience that the vast majority of adventurers had to go through.

To this day, he still hadn't obtained his own skill, and finally understood that those seemingly cool swings from his childhood years were just him lost in his own world, being an annoying brat that others despised.

Sometimes when encountering familiar faces, they would stop to chat for a bit.

—Really just a few words. To avoid delaying each other's work, often it was just a brief encounter, exchanging a few words of small talk.

And what he heard most was undoubtedly that one sentence.

"I hope I can see you again next time, Evan."

There was genuine concern, sighs about how times had changed, and also schadenfreude out of jealousy... The same words, spoken with different tones, carried different meanings.

"Miriam, we will definitely become adventurers famous throughout Roland Town... no, throughout all of Lania City!"

The youth lay on the grass, looking up at the starry sky through the gaps between leaves and branches. He raised the sword in his hand, pointing straight at the high sky.

A beam of clear light shone down, the sword blade reflecting a slightly cold glow.

"Dreaming again..."

Miriam sneered at his words. She sat on the grass with her knees hugged to her chest, slightly tilting her head, her eyes reflecting that flowing light.

"Rest early. I'll take the first watch by the fire."

By the campfire, Uncle Bern slowly stood up and added some new firewood to the fire.

Lin Mo nodded, stretched his tired body, and entered the simple tent he had just set up.

The tent had no floor, only a thin cloth spread on the grass. There was no blanket, no pillow.

I should buy a sleeping bag next time...

Lin Mo thought this with his arm as a pillow, his vision gradually blurring.