[Job change successful. Current occupation: Hunter]

[Attribute bonus gained: Strength +0.5, Agility +1]

Compared with the attribute increase from changing occupation to Blacksmith, the bonuses from the base occupation Hunter gave Roland no obvious sensation.

After a small nod, he shifted his gaze downward.

[Trait gained: Animal Friend]

[Animal Friend: When activated, allows communication with non-human creatures possessing a certain degree of intelligence. Duration depends on Spirit attribute value]

"Animal Friend? Another trait that can be actively activated."

After reading the description behind Animal Friend, Roland licked his lips in excitement.

With [Focus] as precedent, he felt that actively triggered traits were often more flexible than passive ones and might produce unexpected effects at critical moments.

He silently recited the command to activate it.

The instant the thought formed, a strange buzzing filled Roland's eardrums.

It was like someone had struck a silver coin beside his ear, leaving the lingering resonance to echo inside his skull.

He covered his ears, then realized the sound had not come from the outside world.

Light from the forest filtered through layers of leaves and fell along the cave entrance.

A red squirrel held an acorn and watched him warily, its small nose twitching.

But in Roland's ears, that faint sniffing had turned into broken whispers.

"...danger... two-leg... hide..."

Roland's eyes widened.

Only then did he notice that the entire forest was waking up beside his ears.

When he stepped out of the cave, the sounds around him became even more chaotic.

The chirping of sparrows in the treetops was no longer meaningless birdsong, but a woman's nagging chatter.

"Bugs! Fat bugs over there!"

From the rustling bushes nearby came the panicked muttering of wild rabbits.

"Footsteps too loud... too loud..."

Most chilling of all, when Roland accidentally snapped a dead branch underfoot, the voices of the entire forest fell silent for a brief moment.

Countless invisible gazes turned toward him from every direction, and those fragmented whispers became a single warning.

"Danger!"

"Run!"

"It's the scent of a hunter!"

Roland's temples throbbed, and a cold prickling climbed up his spine.

His mind seemed to have been stuffed with dozens of noisy radio stations at once. Fragments of thought flooded in from every side.

From the canopy came the hoarse mockery of crows.

"Going mad, going mad!"

Beneath the soil, moles gave muffled complaints.

"Is it an earthquake again..."

Just as his consciousness was about to drown in the noise, Roland shut off [Animal Friend].

The world went quiet. Only his own harsh breathing echoed through the trees.

The red squirrel had vanished, leaving half a gnawed acorn rolling on the moss.

"Looks like..."

Roland wiped cold sweat from his forehead and shook his head.

"Making friends with animals isn't simple either."

After a quiet sigh, he returned to the cave and looked down again.

When a series of golden lines flashed before him, a knowing smile appeared on his face.

"As expected, Occupation Resonance only occurs between occupations of the same tier."

"Base occupations with base occupations, upper occupations with upper occupations. That's the rule for triggering resonance."

Thinking of this, he felt some anticipation for the extra buffs that might trigger between upper occupations.

"Unfortunately, aside from Blacksmith, I haven't triggered the job-change conditions for any other upper occupations yet."

Roland put the thought aside and focused on the occupation panel.

[Scholar occupation detected. Occupation resonance available.]

[Occupation Resonance]

[Hunter + Scholar]

[Extra buff gained: Ecology Scholar]

[Ecology Scholar: When fighting enemies, has a chance to obtain ecology notes]

"Ecology notes?"

Roland's brow creased in thought.

After a moment, he shook his head.

"No point guessing without evidence. Once I fight in actual combat, I'll naturally learn what these ecology notes are."

He set the question aside and continued reading the information on the panel.

[Hunter + Recruit]

[Extra buff gained: Adaptive Training]

[Adaptive Training: When fighting or exploring in wilderness environments such as forests and snowfields, gain an Agility attribute bonus over time. Bonus effect depends on base Agility value]

"Oh! This one is good."

Roland stroked his smooth chin, excitement entering his eyes.

"According to this description, when fighting in wilderness environments, my speed will become faster and faster? That basically turns forests and snowfields into my home ground."

The image of himself moving through the jungle like the wind appeared in his mind, and Roland yearned for it.

But reason soon cooled that excitement.

"But which specific environments count as wilderness? What are the value and frequency of the Agility bonus? Is there an upper limit to stacking? All of that still needs testing."

Another line of golden text leapt into view.

[Hunter + Blacksmith Apprentice]

[Extra buff gained: Battlefield Maintenance]

[Battlefield Maintenance: Increases the durability of handheld weapons during combat]

"This buff is practical too."

Thinking of [Standardized Production], which he had obtained before, Roland's eyes lit up.

"[Standardized Production] can improve weapon quality through repeated forging, while [Battlefield Maintenance] can extend weapon durability. If the two are combined, then the weapons I use would..."

A faint cough came from beside him.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Roland looked over and saw Darco open his eyes.

The young noble first looked around in confusion, then fixed his gaze on Roland.

"Roland? Oh... right..."

Darco shook his heavy head. His voice was weak, and even his usually bright blond hair looked dim.

"How long did I sleep?"

"Not long."

Roland checked his wounds again. After confirming that there was no severe bleeding, he patted Darco's shoulder.

"You can rest a little longer. Don't worry, I'll keep watch. If there's danger, I'll wake you right away."

"Really... thank you, Roland..."

Darco looked at Roland's tired face, guilt passing through his eyes.

After a brief silence, he spoke.

"Roland, is there anything you want? Money, beautiful women... as long as I have it, I can give it to you."

Afraid of being misunderstood, he added quickly,

"I'm not saying this because I'm afraid you'll abandon me. I just... want to repay your kindness."

"Heh..."

Seeing his sincerity, Roland chuckled.

He did not doubt Darco's words.

From the original owner's memories, this young nobleman carried the arrogance of his status, but he had always been generous and true to his word.

But beautiful women...

He did not need them.

As for money, although he was not wealthy, he was not desperate either.

Besides, after what he and Darco had gone through, if Roland needed money in the future and the amount was not too large, would Darco really refuse?

Thinking of this, Roland tested him half jokingly.

"Then I want a knight breathing method. Do you have one?"

"Uh... that..."

Darco was instantly at a loss.

Remembering the boast he had just made, he twitched his nose and said awkwardly, "Sorry, Roland... minor nobles like us don't have an inherited breathing method."

"Is that so?"

Roland raised his brows.

"But I remember you saying you wanted to become a knight. Am I remembering wrong?"

"I did say that."

Darco adjusted his sitting posture with difficulty. The wound made him suck in a breath.

"But the way I can obtain a breathing method is rather special."

"Through noble privilege, I can enter the Knight Academy for further study without taking the entrance exam. Only after successfully graduating can I obtain a knight breathing method. It's just..."

He gave a pained smile.

"According to the Noble Treaty, I cannot privately teach it to anyone. I'm truly sorry."

Knight Academy?

Noble Treaty?

Two more unfamiliar terms.

Seeing Roland fall silent, Darco pressed his lips together uneasily.

Then his eyes brightened.

"Wait! Our family does have an inherited Combat Technique!"

"Combat Technique?"

Roland's attention returned.

"That's right!"

Darco spoke with excitement.

"Teaching a Combat Technique isn't restricted by the Noble Treaty. I can have my father hand that secret scroll to you so you can study it. It's just..."

At this point, his voice lowered as he remembered his own years of bitter training without grasping the essentials.

"That Combat Technique... is quite difficult to learn. Very few people can truly master it."

Seeming to realize that his promise sounded childish, Darco quickly added,

"But aside from that Combat Technique, you can tell me anything else you want."

"All right, all right, Darco."

Roland pressed the excited young noble's shoulder.

"Right now, the most important thing is for you to recover. As for rewards, let's talk after we safely return to the estate."

"This... uh..."

Thinking of their current situation, Darco wilted.

"You're right, Roland."

Noticing his dejected look, Roland raised his brows.

"However... there is something I need your help with right now."

"Help?"

Darco's eyes lit up. If he had not been injured, he would likely have slapped his chest and guaranteed it on the spot.

"Just say what you need!"

"Do you have any food on you?"

"Of course. You're hungry?"

Darco tilted his head and gestured with his eyes.

"There is some emergency food in the pouch at my waist. Take it and eat. As for me..."

He licked his cracked lips.

"I'm not hungry yet."

"Hah..."

Roland shook his head at Darco's forced toughness.

He took down the pouch and untied the thin cord.

Inside were bread, smoked meat, and a large block of butter.

"This guy's emergency food is better than what I usually eat..."

Roland muttered inwardly. He divided the food into two portions and, ignoring Darco's refusal, firmly stuffed one portion into the young noble's mouth.

Then his gaze turned outside the cave.

Not far away, a small squirrel was hugging a pinecone and gnawing on it with relish, utterly adorable.

After confirming that Darco had fallen asleep again, Roland took the remaining half of the food and quietly walked out of the cave.

He approached the red squirrel with care and stopped three steps away.

After a breath, he activated [Animal Friend].

Familiar noise flooded his mind like a tide.

Roland knitted his brows. Imitating the way he activated [Focus], he gathered his scattered attention.

The chaotic sounds faded until only the voices in a small area around him remained.

"Huff..."

Roland breathed out and steadied himself.

Watching the red squirrel still focused on its pinecone, he raised a hand, controlled his facial muscles, and put on the friendliest expression he could.

"Hello..."

Before he finished speaking, the red squirrel lifted its head in alarm and met his eyes.

In that instant, the little creature's messy fur puffed outward, and its bean-sized eyes went round.

Before Roland could react, the red squirrel dropped the pinecone. Its hind legs tensed, ready to flee.

Roland had prepared for this. He stepped forward and cupped the frightened little thing in both palms.

"Help! Help! Help!"

Under [Animal Friend], the short, sharp screams became clear human language in Roland's ears.

"Relax, little one."

Feeling the small life struggle violently in his palms, Roland adjusted his hold, supporting its body with one hand while gently stroking the fur along its back with the other.

"I only want to ask you for a favor. I won't hurt you."

Roland kept his voice low and gentle.

"You can understand what I'm saying, right?"

The red squirrel stopped struggling.

It raised its little head, black-bean eyes full of confusion.

"Two-leg... you... wrong... why can I understand you?"

Its eyes widened.

"Are you a squirrel too?"

The innocent question left Roland speechless for a moment.

He opened his mouth, then decided to avoid that complicated topic.

"That isn't important, little one."

Roland placed the red squirrel back on the ground and tapped its furry head with a fingertip.

"My name is Roland. What about you?"

"Everyone calls me Joe..."

After confirming that this huge creature held no malice, the squirrel named Joe relaxed. Its front paws hung before its chest as it tilted its head and studied this talking two-leg.

"Joe? That's a good name."

Roland smiled and took a slice of bread from the cloth bag.

Unlike the black bread Roland usually ate, Darco's bread was white bread baked from fine wheat flour and dotted with several nuts Roland could not name.

The moment he took it out, a rich wheat aroma drifted into the air.

Joe's nose twitched rapidly. Its round eyes fixed on the tempting food, and even its fluffy tail swayed with anticipation.

"Heh..."

Seeing the little creature's greedy look, Roland chuckled.

He tore off a small piece of bread, rubbed it into crumbs in his palm, and offered it to Joe.

"Don't be shy. Eat."

"Mm..."

Joe's little nose kept twitching, its gaze moving between the bread crumbs and Roland.

It was tempted enough to keep swallowing, but it remained wary and did not step forward.

"This little thing is pretty cautious..."

Roland muttered inwardly.

"Do squirrels actually have this much intelligence?"

Seeing Joe still refuse to eat, Roland shook his head.

He pinched a few crumbs between his fingertips, placed them in his own mouth, and made an obvious swallowing motion.

"See? Not poisoned. Eat without worry."

Joe tilted its head and observed him. After confirming that no crumbs were left in Roland's mouth, it finally lowered its guard.

It happily flicked its tail, hopped closer, hooked its little claws onto Roland's palm, and buried its head to feast.

Before long, the bread crumbs in his palm were gone.

Joe licked its claws with satisfaction, cleaned the crumbs from its whiskers, and raised its little head.

"You're different from other two-legs. You're a good person."

It puffed out its furry chest.

"Go on. What do you want me to help with?"

Seeing that he had gained the red squirrel's trust, Roland breathed out and spoke solemnly.

"Joe, have you noticed the Goblins in the forest? I mean creatures with green skin, sharp teeth, and very ugly faces."

"Mm..."

Joe lowered its head, scratched it with a paw, then brightened.

"You mean those green monsters! I've seen them! They snuck into the forest last night and seemed to be looking for something."

The little creature waved its paws hard as it gestured.

"They cut trees and dug holes everywhere, but..."

Joe paused and glanced at Roland carefully.

"They're different from two-legs. They don't seem to intend to hurt us."

Afraid Roland would misunderstand, Joe quickly added,

"Of course, Roland, you're completely different from those two-legs. You're a good person!"

Being handed two good-person cards in a row left Roland torn between laughter and helplessness.

As for why the clearly species-based term "two-leg" could appear alongside "good person," he had no interest in investigating. He could only attribute it to the miraculous effect of [Animal Friend].

Pushing aside those stray thoughts, Roland said seriously,

"Joe, those Goblins, the green monsters you mentioned, are attacking us."

"My companion and I need to avoid them and leave this forest safely."

"So I want you to help scout the Goblins' routes and help us avoid their sight. Can you do that?"

"Leave it to me!"

Joe puffed out its furry chest, its big tail wagging with excitement.

"Something that easy? I'll do it right now!"

The human and squirrel had just reached their agreement when a weak cough came from the depths of the cave.

"Cough, cough, cough... Roland..."

Darco struggled to open his eyes. Pain from all over his body kept him from sinking into deep sleep.

Hearing the call, Roland gave Joe a few more instructions before shutting off [Animal Friend].

A faint wave of dizziness struck, and Roland rubbed his temples.

"Looks like compared to [Focus], [Animal Friend] consumes much less Spirit."

Returning to the cave, Roland asked with concern, "How was your rest?"

He pulled the stopper from the waterskin and handed it to Darco, who was leaning against the rock wall.

"Fighting probably won't work..."

Darco took the waterskin and drank several mouthfuls. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

After wiping the water from his chin, he forced a smile.

"But running should be no problem."

"Good. Then tidy up and prepare to move."

Roland reached out and helped him stand.

Darco used Roland's strength to get up and sucked in a breath from the pain.

"You found a way to avoid those Goblins?"

"Mm."

Roland nodded. He almost explained, then stopped and only said,

"In any case... just follow me."

"No problem!"

After everything that had happened, the young noble's trust in Roland had taken deep root.

He did not ask about the specific plan and followed Roland without hesitation.

The next stretch of road went unbelievably smoothly. If Darco had not seen Goblin patrols passing by every time they hid in the shadows, he would have thought the Goblins had already left the forest.

The only thing that puzzled him was the red squirrel that had appeared by Roland's side at some point.

Darco silently pondered the closeness between human and animal.

"Does Roland like keeping red squirrels as pets? Hmm... it's a little strange, but after we get back, should I have the guards catch a few and give them to him?"

Roland did not notice Darco's wandering thoughts.

He kept a suitable distance from the young noble and spoke with Joe in a very soft voice.

"You're saying... up ahead, three Goblin patrols are taking turns patrolling, and there isn't enough of a gap to pass through?"

"That's right."

Joe stood on Roland's shoulder and waved its paws.

"Are there any other paths out of the forest?"

"There are even more green monsters on the other paths."

"Tch... I understand."

Roland made his decision at once, his gaze fixing on the front.

In the next instant, the transparent occupation panel appeared before his eyes.

"Agility 6.6. Looks like the feeling that my body was growing lighter just now wasn't an illusion."

"I didn't expect [Adaptive Training] to increase my Agility by a full two points in less than two short hours."

After carefully sensing the changes in his body, Roland gave Joe a few instructions, then placed it on the ground. Afterward, he turned back and explained his plan to Darco.

"Eliminating one of the three patrols during the gap in their rotation... isn't this plan too risky?"

Darco looked at Roland with worry.

It was not that he doubted Roland's ability to kill Goblins.

The issue was that the plan required speed like lightning. The slightest hesitation would alert the enemy, and then they would fall into an encirclement.

This was completely different from ordinary Goblin hunting. The difficulty was worlds apart.

"This is the only way we have right now."

Ignoring Darco's worry, Roland gripped the sword hilt at his waist with his right hand and pointed ahead with his left.

"In a moment, you and I will move together to that bush."

"When you see me kill one of the Goblin patrols, come out quickly and regroup with me, then continue forward. Any problem?"

"Of course not. It's just..."

Darco wanted to say more.

His gaze fell on his injured calf. Only then did he lower his head and nod.

"Then be careful, Roland."

"Don't worry. But when the time comes, don't show yourself rashly. Otherwise, I may not be able to protect you during the fight."

"I understand."

With the plan settled, the two moved silently toward the target bush.

Between shifting tree shadows, they slipped through the forest and disappeared behind the thick cluster of bushes.

In the damp undergrowth, Roland held his breath and observed the rotation pattern of the three Goblin patrols.

He noticed that at the end of the patrol on the left, one Goblin was limping, making the entire team's formation much looser.

Roland shot out like an arrow leaving the string.

His Agility attribute of 6.6 displayed its full effect.

The first sword cut cleanly across a Goblin's throat.

Before the sprayed beads of blood had fallen, the second sword pierced another Goblin's heart.

When the third Goblin's head flew up, the first two corpses had not yet hit the ground.

Only then did the remaining two Goblins react.

One had just opened its mouth to scream when a thrown dagger nailed through its throat.

The other staggered back, only for Roland to step forward and pierce its heart.

Ten seconds.

Five corpses.

"That was... unbelievable..."

Darco walked out from behind the bushes, shock written across his face.

"Roland, your speed just now... I could barely see your movements."

Roland did not answer at once.

He checked every corpse, making sure there were no survivors, before saying in a low voice,

"Move! The other patrols may come at any moment!"

Only then did Darco wake from his daze and hurry after Roland.

By the time the first alarm horn sounded, the two had already vanished into the depths of the forest.

"Circle around from the edge of the forest, cross the clearing ahead, and it won't be far before you can get out."

The red squirrel shook its fluffy tail as it spoke.

Roland placed it on the ground and tapped its little head.

"Thank you, Joe."

"Do you want to come back with me? We can live together."

Joe rubbed its little paws together, hesitation flickering in its black-bean eyes.

Silence held for a moment before it finally raised its head.

"Roland, you're a good person... but I think... I'm still better suited to living here..."

"All right, little one."

Roland nodded and did not force it.

Then he tore a piece of cloth from Darco's food bag, crushed the remaining bread, wrapped it up, tied it into a small bundle with a thin cord, and placed it before Joe.

"This is my thanks. Try and see if you can carry it."

Joe's black eyes lit up. It hugged the bundle with its front paws, its little nose twitching.

"I can carry it! I can carry it! It smells so good!"

It was so excited that its tail trembled, and it almost spun in place.

"Roland, thank you! You're such a good person!"

"All right, all right..."

Roland smiled and waved.

"We should go. We'll meet again if there's a chance."

Joe hugged the little bundle and nodded reluctantly.

"Goodbye, Roland!"

It darted up a tree trunk and soon disappeared into the forest.

"Let's go, Darco."

Roland turned and spoke in a low voice to his companion, who had just staggered over.

"Hold on a little longer. We'll be out of the forest soon."

"Heavenly Father above!"

Color finally returned to Darco's tired, pale face.

"I can't stay in this damned place another moment."

The two gathered their spirits and continued forward.

After walking for an unknown length of time, Roland stopped, his brow tightening.

He heard the crisp clash of metal not far ahead, mixed with the Goblins' piercing shrieks and the suppressed roars of humans.

Then a deafening explosion rang out.

Leaves shook loose from the treetops and rustled down, while a scorched, bloody stench rushed toward them on the forest wind.