Chapter 38: The Future

As the sun rose, the man finishing his morning training was drenched in sweat.

"Whew!"

Having completed another round of sword practice, Leon felt his body heating up. Sensing that his condition was off, he stopped early. He looked down; the red gem on his chest had shrunk once more. This time, he felt his progress had slowed significantly, and it would likely become completely inert within a week.

[Biological Grade: Inferior Stone, Status: Strength 4(13), Physique 5(11), Agility 3(6), Spirit 5(16)]

Leon glanced at the interface. Strength and Physique had each increased by one point, finally reaching the average line for an adult in this world.

"They say this thing compensates for innate deficiencies. The stronger one is, the greater the demand and the more growth one gains. Judging by my absorption rate... they won't wait more than a week. They cannot afford that loss."

Leon felt his physical body hitting a bottleneck. He also noticed two cryptic labels beneath his attributes:

[Draconic Transformation: 3.1%, Awakened Racial Talent: Dragon Eye (Glimpse the Truth).]
[Beast Transformation: 2.5%, Awakened Bloodline Ability: Tongues (Understand Human Speech).]

It seemed that with the constant use of Dragon Eye, the progress of his Draconic Transformation had increased slightly. He could understand the Draconic part, but the Beast Transformation was truly baffling. Did it refer to the degree of therianthropy? He was supposed to be a Dragonborn; why was there a Beast Transformation on top of a Draconic one? Regardless, the supernatural ability to easily understand other languages was quite useful, though the progress bar for the Beast Transformation had not moved.

"Since it’s not causing problems for now, I'll keep using it... If I get the chance later, I'll find someone to ask. It feels like another trap."

Resting enough, Leon stood up to resume his sword practice. He could feel the power of the Heroic Soul, Sur, beginning to fade; the Heroic Soul Card was nearing its limit. Once Brother Sur truly departed, the only thing he would retain would be the swordsmanship he had mastered during this period.

"Given that Demon acquired a supernatural profession after receiving his inheritance, I should be able to retain one or two levels of a supernatural profession. I should have Heart-Soul abilities as well... but the strength of a Heart-Soul ability that has regressed to the Original Stone or Inferior Stone level will inevitably be very subtle."

A Gold-tier Wall-Breaker and a Diamond-tier Wall-Breaker were simply not on the same level of intensity. Leon could only nurture the lower-tier Wall-Breaker for now. Based on his understanding of supernatural combat during this time, in the short term, the greatest help the Heroic Soul provided was the battle experience and instincts of a veteran. It wasn't just a boost in combat power; it was the ability to engrave these techniques—which usually take years to master—into his very flesh through training and actual combat, forming new battle instincts.

Under normal circumstances, basic swordsmanship takes half a year to practice, and competent swordsmanship takes several years. He didn't even know how long "Holy Sword: Evil-Slaying" would take, and perhaps even "War Sword: Armor-Erosion" would require countless accumulations of real combat, spanning years or even over a decade. But now, even without the Heroic Soul's assistance, Leon was confident he could wield "War Sword: Armor-Erosion." He had even begun practicing the next move in the "Holy Sword: Evil-Slaying" system: "Collapse Sword: World-Breaking."

"There probably isn't enough time to master it completely, and my physical condition isn't enough to use it, but I can grasp a bit. Even if it's just a prototype, it will significantly boost my combat power. It will be much easier to learn when the conditions are fully met later..."

For melee professions like Paladins, the greatest weakness is always their lack of proficiency in group combat. Taking down one enemy per strike is great, but what if tens or hundreds come at once? Furthermore, against large-sized magical beasts or sub-dragons, the damage (wound) range of single-target swordsmanship is limited, and the effect is mediocre. "Collapse Sword: World-Breaking" was a large-scale swordsmanship technique specifically developed to address this, with effects far more potent than a Great Sweeping Slash. However, Leon's progress was quite subtle; the hardware requirements seemed a bit too high...

"Senior Brother."

At this moment, the maid brought in a visitor. Demon, acting as both intermediary and scout, had arrived.

"Have you eaten?"
"I have."
"Training?"
"Mm."

The man's dialogue was simple and direct. The next moment, the longsword and battle-axe collided. The inheritance of Sur’s Heroic Soul was better communicated through sword and axe. However, Leon, at the tail end of the Heroic Soul possession, was in his peak state, while Demon was not wearing his Hill Giant gauntlets. The gap between them was simply too great. Even though Leon tried hard to suppress his strength and sword instincts, using mostly techniques, the axe was still knocked away time after time, and the webbing between Demon’s thumb and forefinger had already begun to bleed.

Leon did not stop; as soon as Demon retrieved his axe, he would continue. Although Demon couldn't last for many rounds, Leon could see he was improving at high speed.

"Can you still hold on?"
"I can." In that low voice was the resolve this Pig-man never lacked.

Leon had no reason to hesitate. With only a few days left, he would help Brother Sur out by cultivating his successor. Some things are learned more effectively by taking a hit in real combat than by pondering for months alone. Some techniques, responses, and realizations simply cannot be learned without experiencing them or having them taught in actual practice. This training session lasted until noon. Demon’s hands were covered in blood, yet he gritted his teeth and persisted. Perhaps he also knew Leon didn't have many days left and was trying to engrave all of this into his own flesh.

"Clang!"

Finally, after his axe slipped from his blood-slicked hands once more, the fight could not continue. He couldn't even grip his weapon; there was no point in practicing.

"That's enough. Go get treated, then we'll eat and talk... uh."

Seeing Demon reach out, a faint golden light gathered on his hand. As the visible wounds healed, Leon was almost unable to keep his composure. *Is his talent this good? He’s already mastered "Cure Light Wounds (First Circle)"? Even I can't do that!*

A normal Paladin, not a Cleric specializing in healing, usually needs to reach the second or third tier before mastering this low-end divine healing spell. But a Classical Oath Paladin could do whatever he wanted. Why couldn't Leon do it? Because he was mediocre; his purity wasn't high enough; he was a "Meat-Grinder" Paladin.

"Continue?"
"Mm."

Since he could heal, they could get serious. This time, it didn't last long. When Demon tried to heal again, he failed... his holy power was simply insufficient. The most basic First Circle healing effect was mediocre, and low-tier Paladins didn't like using healing abilities because the cost was too high. There was a clear gap between the healing abilities of a Cleric and a Paladin; with the same amount of holy power, the effect could vary unreasonably from three times to ten or even a hundred times. For ordinary Paladins, this might be a matter of piety or professionalism, but old knights like Sur knew it was because a Paladin’s holy power had already "mutated," becoming more aggressive.

Judging by fragments of memory, Sur seemed to dislike using healing abilities, possibly because the purity of the holy power fused with his Heart-Soul ability was too high and too aggressive to heal others. Thus, to achieve the same healing effect, a Paladin with limited holy power had to consume much more, and they needed to reserve it for combat. Except for the very few Paladins specializing in healing, one could not expect much from an ordinary Paladin's healing capacity. This was also why, in many cases, Paladin orders were followed by large numbers of Clerics in actual combat.

"Can't heal anymore." It seemed that the holy power Demon had fused with his Heart-Soul characteristics was also not the type suited for healing. This time, it would truly be a burden on the people in the manor.

At lunch, while Demon was still having the maid bandage his hands, Leon was happily eating and drinking. Sallyman seemed busy with something and only arrived halfway through. She hadn't made the food today; the midday meal was quite rich, and she couldn't handle it all by herself. Apparently, this household didn't have a custom of silence during meals, so Demon brought up the business he had come specifically to discuss.

"They have released the first batch of slaves." Since he only brought it up now, it meant it wasn't an urgent matter. This was slightly beyond expectations—was the slave market acting so quickly?

"I had them sign a three-year contract in the dock area, and they are now free, but they seem to need some start-up capital..."

*Alright, so he was specifically asking for money.* No wonder he waited for Sallyman to sit down before speaking. But Leon had already reached an agreement with Sallyman, and she wouldn't refuse such a small sum.

"I thought they would deliberately drag it out for a while..." Leon was a bit surprised. Hadn't he offended them severely yesterday?

"To them, slaves are cheap and easily obtained resources; they don't count for much. They are fulfilling the contract so quickly because they want to finalize this transaction as soon as possible, fearing you might feel cheated and go back on your word," Sallyman observed clearly. Behind the slave market were profit-driven creatures whose every action was calculated. *I’ve started delivering the goods, the deal is set, that bag of Hero’s Blood is no longer yours...* That was likely the attitude they wanted to convey.

But Leon read something different into it.

"Demon, rest and adjust your state this afternoon, no more training... I suspect a battle is not far off."

Demon was puzzled but nodded in agreement.

"You mean... they are confident they can find that Tail-Cutter soon, so they want to settle your side as quickly as possible, even willing to lose face by proactively compensating you?" Sallyman had some conjectures, her expression turning grim. Under normal circumstances, they could have dragged it out for a while, at least avoiding embarrassment while the heat was at its peak. Being this urgent now felt like they were very confident they would find the Tail-Cutter immediately. Releasing the slaves today to complete the transaction, perhaps they would conduct the raid tonight... This didn't look like a search result; it felt more like a betrayal by partners.

With the afternoon free, Leon took out some of Sur's past memories to discuss with Demon. He tried his best to orally convey the essence and insights of the Armor-Erosion and Collapse Sword techniques to lower the difficulty of learning them. When they spoke of Paladin cultivation, Sallyman suddenly interjected with a question.

"Leon, what are your plans after this? Once your power completely fades."
"Me?" Leon stroked his chin.

In reality, he would retrain as a Paladin, but it wouldn't be his primary path in the public eye. Degenerated species cannot walk the same path because, during the degeneration process, certain things are completely "shattered." The fracturing of the Heart-Soul is a permanent loss, which is very difficult to compensate for... He could still be a Paladin, but theoretically, awakening a Heart-Soul identical to the previous one was impossible. Once the same path is walked to a certain point, one becomes completely stuck; it is no longer a path you can walk. You must blaze a new trail on the same path... but the previous path might have been the one most suited to you. The second path is hard to open, and its upper limit is extremely unstable. At the same time, the evolved species compatible with the profession would be missing, and that permanently missing piece of hardware would lead to difficulties in re-climbing the path, or even lifelong bottlenecks. Therefore, even if degenerated species retrain, they often simply switch paths. For instance, a Paladin might very likely turn into a pure Warrior...

"I can introduce you to a weapon master; your swordsmanship is quite good..." Sallyman, following the Princess's instructions, was willing to invest in Leon's comeback.

But Leon shook his head. He already had plans.

"...Uh, I mentioned this before, right? Actually, I’m quite interested in spellcasters. Maybe I have a knack for it."

At this moment, everyone present looked at him with subtle expressions. The rumor of you shattering a fireball with a single roar had already become a new urban legend. *Are you sure you have a talent for spellcasting, rather than destroying spells?* Now, besides "Mad Knight," you’ve gained the title of "Mage-Killer." Are you sure you want to go and become a mage's apprentice with that reputation?

Leon smiled confidently. He was telling the truth. After all, as an outsider who had crossed over into a world of swords and magic, he was naturally interested in magic. Whether Leon had talent or not had little to do with him personally... it all depended on when he could draw a magic-class Heroic Soul Card!

"I am confident that the next card will definitely be a Mage card!" Perhaps some card-drawers are always this confident when facing a card pool.

Leon was looking forward to it, and Sallyman hesitated for a moment before finally not denying this dream. Spellcasters are so dependent on talent; too many nobles have spent years without being able to cast even a single cantrip.

"I can write you a letter of introduction to try with my teacher..."
"Is that so? That's great." Leon was overjoyed. He had been worrying about having no path to learning.

At this moment, the others present were even more unable to keep their composure. *You’re actually serious? You, a meat-grinder, really have the talent to play with magic?*

Sallyman nodded; this matter was also good for her plans. Leon had offended certain people severely with this incident, so hiding out at her teacher’s place was a good idea. As long as her teacher was willing to help, mages were people who didn't need to give face to the noble circles. As for him having talent? *Heh,* there were plenty of young people every year who thought they had talent; one more wouldn't hurt.

"Steadfast willpower is a good thing for a Paladin, but not necessarily for a spellcaster. Flexible and meticulous logical thinking is the most important..." Sallyman didn't think highly of him at all; the compatibility between Paladins and Mages was the worst.

After lunch, Leon and Demon continued their training, primarily focusing on familiarizing themselves with the feel of the movements. Some things, however, are more likely to happen the more you dread them...

By dusk, the best or worst news arrived. It was Larry who delivered it personally. She walked into the residence of her family's political rival without avoiding suspicion, causing further friction for her old father. But her extremely grim expression showed she no longer cared about that.

"The Tail-Cutter has been found. She... we have actually met her in person."

The reason she was exposed was quite simple: those who "purchased" her life fruits sold her out without hesitation when faced with greater benefits. The identity of this person made Leon and his group throw everything aside and head to the dock area without hesitation.

"Damn it... how could it be her?"

When the group arrived at the familiar place, they saw a landscape they didn't recognize at all. The dilapidated yet warm orphanage had turned into a ruin. Gangsters and thugs were searching through it, and supernatural beings watched this group of newcomers with vigilance.

"How could it be... the nun? Sister Maria of the orphanage."

Larry’s mood was chaotic and terrible. That gentle lady had even guided him in his views on justice! Leon was also stunned. He had met that gentle lady too; he never expected the killer behind the scenes to be her. Could there be a mistake? Could she have been framed?

"...No, it’s true."

Leon suppressed all wishful thinking. From the current situation, the nun matched all the side-profiles of the perpetrator. If it really was her, no child in the dock area would avoid her; no one would refuse her knocking on their door in the middle of the night... Then, what were the children raised in the orphanage? Were they reserve food she kept by her side?!

"Damn it."

Looking at the ruins of the orphanage, Leon was truly anxious. He believed that with the slave market and its backers' power to cover the sky, finding the nun was only a matter of time, but by then, those children would already be dead. Go find her himself? Where to start?

"No, there’s a way..." At this moment, it was Larry who stood up with a look of joy. She flipped through her empty pockets, her face full of excitement, as if showing off a medal of victory. "My wallet and pockets were cleaned out by those children... uh, I mean, I gave many of my small personal items to those children!"

At this moment, everyone was dumbfounded at first, then realized, and were pleasantly surprised. Special items on noble children, especially heirs, had tracking magic on them! Before, Larry hadn't cared about losing these things, treating them as expensive little gifts. But now, they had become key nodes for coordinates.

"Let's go." Then, what were they waiting for?

Meanwhile, in a pitch-black tunnel, the gentle and amiable Sister Maria carried an oil lamp and walked forward with over thirty children. One little boy named Kevin was happily waving a small silver dagger as if it were a saber. Some children, tired from walking, asked proactively.

"Mother Nun, how much longer? How much longer until the amusement park?"
"Mother Maria, is the amusement park really fun? Can children like us play there?"

The children were full of longing; for them, a "spring outing" was far too precious.

"Soon, children, soon. You will be very happy, happy forever and ever..."