Chapter 174: Cross Sword Technique

On the character panel, inside the talent column, the newly acquired talents were listed one by one—

[Power Burst Lv4: After the baptism of a knight, you can use your will to stimulate the power within your body and obtain a special boost; Effect: +0.8 Strength, duration 5 seconds, consumes 5 Stamina.]

[Agility Burst Lv3: After the baptism of a knight, you can use your will to stimulate the power within your body and obtain a special boost: Effect: +0.6 Agility, duration 5 seconds, consumes 5 Stamina.]

[Tough Physique Lv4: After the baptism of a knight, your body has undergone a true strengthening; Effect: Health limit +20, when facing an attack, defense judgment +0.8.]

[Heart of Vigilance Lv2: Your innate keen perception allows you to see further and hear more clearly; Effect: Any person or object approaching you with ill intent within a radius of thirty feet must undergo a [Perception] judgment, and you will gain an advantage of +0.4 Perception.]

[Steel Heart Lv4: A powerful mind always brings a powerful soul; Effect: Facing any Prestige, Illusion, or mental scourging, you will gain a judgment of +0.8 Will, and furthermore, reduce pain from the body and mind by 20% (negative status effect -20%).]

(Note: Talents can be activated and take effect simultaneously, and have priority.)

The display of talent levels, as well as one’s own class, determined the effects within.

Undoubtedly, [Tough Physique] was the one Dean needed most among all the talents, not just for the Health limit, but also for the defense judgment.

A defense judgment of 0.8 seemed very small.

However, under every 1 point of Toughness, it was equivalent to the calculation of a suit of Steel Armor; a bonus of 0.8 to defense judgment was already enough to make anyone’s heart move.

Just like Dean now, he could clearly feel the changes in his skin and muscles.

Although it could not be seen on the outside, the inside was becoming increasingly tight and tough. After pulling out the [Flash Dagger] from his waist and stabbing it into his own palm, Dean’s palm merely showed a white dot. Only after gradually increasing the force did this white dot show more changes.

It was only when Dean used forty percent of his strength that he felt his palm was about to be pierced.

“[Tough Physique] is indeed worthy of being a mid-tier talent, and the Lv4 level is sufficient to be of use… However, raising the level is somewhat difficult… During the first baptism, every extra 0.5 in attributes represented one level, but in subsequent baptisms, to raise the talent level, it became necessary to have every 1 attribute point to increase one level. To raise [Tough Physique] from Lv4 to Lv5, I must raise [Constitution] to 4.5, and this is not far from the level of the Grand Knight’s Baptism!”

Dean thought carefully based on what he knew.

And when thinking of the Grand Knight’s Baptism, he could not help but feel a surge of excitement in his heart—after all, on the battlefield of the upcoming Blood Moon War, only existences at the Grand Knight level could possibly make a difference; the Knight-rank would appear too low. Even though he now completely feared no existence at the Grand Knight level, if it were possible, Dean would not mind stepping into the ranks of Grand Knights himself.

“Grand Knight? To raise any attribute to the level of 5 within nine months, even with the cooperation of the System, is quite difficult. Moreover, the exercise methods in my memory are not comprehensive; they lean more towards combat. The methods that can cultivate one’s own body, apart from the ordinary methods in the Military Camp, do not possess those techniques called ‘Secret Techniques’ by the Royal Family and Grand Nobles… The methods in my memory, although far surpassing those most superficial techniques, if I want to increase my Strength quickly, I must obtain a technique that can be called a Secret Technique!”

Thinking of this, Dean subconsciously thought of that Grand Duchess.

However, very quickly, he shook his head.

Although the other party definitely knew the Secret Techniques of the Emerald Royal Family, to ask for advice with his current identity was obviously fraught with difficulties, even though he had established considerable merit before.

But, such merit had long been offset by that Royal Family ‘Baptism Potion’ and the ‘surprise’ not yet received.

If he made such a request, it would only make that Grand Duchess feel disgusted.

“I must find another way… And before that, I need to ‘practice’ the methods in my mind, at least to get the acknowledgment of the System… Wait until I have a better method, and then, replace it—having something is better than nothing!”

Dean made such a decision.

Then, he stood up and walked towards the door.

“Success?”

“Success!”

The Silver Knight outside the door looked at Dean, and then, having received a definite answer, he could not help but reveal a smile. Although he had not thought about the matter of Dean failing, receiving the news of true success still made this Silver Knight feel happy.

“Let’s go, Lord Marquis has been waiting for a long time!”

“Okay!”

The Silver Knight led Dean towards the main hall once again.

And when Dean appeared in the main hall once again, he immediately attracted everyone’s gaze—

“Lord Marquis, I have completed the baptism!”

Dean spoke meticulously.

After these words were spoken, Dean clearly saw Miss Baron and Baron Jandu let out a sigh of relief, while Bishop Deholl and Baron Defendi looked full of regret.

“Very good, Higgs has also just completed the baptism…”

Marquis Vauban nodded, then suddenly spoke, and before Marquis Vauban could finish his words, that Divine Church knight who had previously avoided battle stepped straight out.

“Dean Ken Knight, I wish to challenge you!”

Perhaps due to habitual silence, Higgs’ voice carried a trace of dryness, even hoarseness; however, his tone held thick confidence.

It was completely different from the wavering uncertainty after the previous shock.

“It seems he has awakened some incredible talent!”

Dean thought to himself, then nodded slightly.

Regardless of what talent the other party had awakened, unless it was a top-tier talent in the true sense, for Dean, he was an opponent that could be crushed at will, even if it was a high-tier talent; after all, the gap between the two was too far in terms of attributes.

With the boost of skills and talents, Dean’s attributes were already infinitely close to a Grand Knight, and [Strength] had completely reached the standard of a Grand Knight.

A Grand Knight fighting a newly awakened Knight.

The final result was naturally self-evident.

As for the possibility of a top-tier talent?

Dean did not think there was such a possibility.

If Higgs had really awakened a top-tier talent, that Bishop Deholl would absolutely not have let this challenge happen—any knight with a top-tier talent was the most valued by various forces, even, to some extent, exceeding naturally awakened knights; after all, a top-tier talent extremely likely represented a Gold-rank powerhouse.

Of course, naturally awakened knights were too.

However, the probability was much smaller.

At least, it was much smaller than knights with top-tier talents—as for the King of City? That was naturally an exception.

In fact, any knight who naturally awakened under the age of fifteen would be regarded as a treasure by various forces.

Just like that Emerald Grand Duke.

Awakened as a knight at fourteen, became a Gold-rank existence at twenty-three.

Even calculating carefully, he was more outstanding than the King of City.

Of course, the calculation of Strength absolutely could not be like this, but it was absolutely an important reference basis.

Just like now, people all viewed Dean as a future Silver Knight.

As for Gold?

Apart from the expectation of Miss Baron, none of the others dared to have such a hope, even Baron Jandu and Marquis Vauban, who thought highly of Dean, were the same.

However, this did not prevent them from cheering for Dean’s upcoming battle, but Dean obviously did not see this. When he stood in the center of the hall again, his attention was already entirely focused on his opponent—

Clang!

Higgs drew his twin swords and quietly waited for the old steward to announce the start.

And a unique flavor began to appear on Higgs.

“This is?!”

Marquis Vauban and Shiva could not help but pause after seeing Higgs’ stance, and the next moment they frowned; because, they both thought of that quite famous sword technique within the Divine Church: Cross Sword Technique.

If it was the Cross Sword Technique…

The two people, who were originally relaxed in their hearts thinking Dean would surely win, suddenly felt their hearts sink.

However, it was obviously impossible to call off the duel now.

That old steward had already tossed the Gold Pulton high into the air.

Ding!

Amidst the crisp sound, the Gold Pulton flew into the mid-air, and then, fell.

And the instant the Gold Pulton fell, Higgs launched his attack; his body did not move, he merely crossed his twin swords together, forming a cross, and then, the twin swords fiercely slashed forward.

Buzz!

Amidst a slight trembling, two semi-transparent sword winds crossed each other, forming a cross shape, shooting towards Dean.

Bang!

Dean quickly flashed his body and dodged this slash, while that cross sword wind imprinted onto the stone column not far behind Dean—

Hiss!

It was just like a sculpture carefully carved by a craftsman.

A shallow cross-shaped groove appeared there.

“What is this?!”

Facing such a special sword technique, the people on the viewing stands were stunned for a moment, and then cried out in astonishment one after another.

Only Bishop Deholl sat there with a face full of smiles.

And Baron Defendi, after a moment of stunned silence, also sat there with a smile, preparing to leisurely watch the good show that followed.