"Not bad..."

After carefully reading the buff's description, Roland nodded.

"At least when moving through humid environments, I won't need to worry about equipment maintenance anymore."

With that thought, his gaze continued downward.

[Recruit occupation detected. Occupation resonance available.]

[Occupation Resonance]

[Fisherman + Recruit]

[Extra buff gained: Anchored Stance]

[Anchored Stance: When fighting on unstable terrain such as ships, wetlands, or reef zones, your steps will automatically adapt to currents and jolts. Dodging movements become as precise and swift as drawing in a net, while blocking stances become as unshakable as an anchor sinking into the seabed.]

"This one's good!"

After reading the description, Roland's eyes lit up. He immediately recalled his previous battle against the fishmen on the deck.

Although that fight had ended one-sidedly, with Roland suppressing the fishmen through absolute strength, he knew very well that fighting on a heaving sea was completely different from fighting on solid land.

At the time, the surging waves had forced him to spend part of his attention stabilizing his footing, which had weakened his combat effectiveness.

Otherwise, he would not have consumed so much stamina after dealing with those fishmen.

If I had this Trait back then, those fishmen would have been much easier to handle... And when I complete the job requirements for [Pirate] in the future, this buff should also be very useful.

As for the requirement to "plunder five large ships" needed to change into [Pirate], Roland already had a preliminary plan.

As long as the targets were large ships, ownership did not matter.

In the waters near the River Kingdoms, besides merchant ships, there were also pirates who robbed and pillaged.

Plundering those infamous villains would not leave Roland with the slightest guilt.

"However, according to the fishermen at the harbor, those fellows appear and disappear unpredictably. Their whereabouts are hard to trace. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to remain at large on the outer seas for so long..."

"Tomorrow, I'll ask Avril or Nielsen. The merchant faction is well informed, so perhaps they have more detailed intelligence on those pirates."

Roland had also considered the Wolf King.

First, the anomaly that had appeared in the Misty Lands was suspicious.

Second, for the other party to run rampant so brazenly within the River Kingdoms' territorial waters, he was probably no simple figure.

After weighing it over, Roland decided to start with the pirates in the nearby waters.

Having made up his mind, he refocused on the occupation panel before him.

[Scholar occupation detected. Occupation resonance available.]

[Occupation Resonance]

[Fisherman + Scholar]

[Extra buff gained: Sea Gazing]

[Sea Gazing: After active activation, by capturing subtle changes in wind, waves, and living creatures, such as cloud pattern movements, sudden stops in seabirds, or fish schools diving, you can perceive the general weather conditions for a period of time in the future, as if reading a nautical log carved into the waves, turning fog and raging tides into a compass that guides your direction. Observation effect depends on Spirit attribute.]

"Good heavens!"

Seeing this description, Roland sat upright on the bed.

"Doesn't this mean that when I sail at sea, I can rely on this ability to predict weather changes and even identify direction across the open ocean?"

His experiences as a fisherman during this period had given him a deep understanding of this buff's value.

He had already gained some firsthand understanding of the sea's dangers.

Attacks from monsters could still be handled. What was truly deadly was the irresistible power of nature.

Gales, torrential rain, tsunamis...

Even the most seasoned captain would be helpless before those disasters. One careless mistake could send a ship to the bottom of the sea.

And the ability he had obtained was precisely the kind of survival guarantee countless people who made their living at sea dreamed of.

"I truly didn't expect the seemingly ordinary Fisherman occupation to produce such powerful buffs when resonating with other occupations..."

After murmuring this in admiration, Roland continued looking down.

[Hunter occupation detected. Occupation resonance available.]

[Occupation Resonance]

[Fisherman + Hunter]

[Extra buff gained: Deep Sea Exploration]

[Deep Sea Exploration: While sailing at sea, you will automatically perceive hidden clues nearby that ordinary people would find difficult to discover. Perception range depends on Spirit attribute.]

"Hidden clues... does that mean treasure hunting?"

Roland furrowed his brow.

"With my current Spirit attribute, I wonder how much range it can cover."

Even when he had still been in Blackwater Territory, he had heard many legends about deep-sea treasures.

Most of those stories only existed in adventure novels. In reality, cases of people truly finding sunken treasure were few and far between.

"Although it doesn't help much with directly improving combat strength, perhaps it may prove useful at a critical moment."

With that thought, Roland continued browsing downward.

[Stableman occupation detected. Occupation resonance available.]

[Occupation Resonance]

[Fisherman + Stableman]

[Extra buff gained: Shallow Water Dash]

[Shallow Water Dash: When riding a mount, you can easily cross shallows and streams, no longer suffering speed reduction from aquatic terrain, and the mount's endurance consumption while wading is significantly reduced.]

"This one is good too!"

Roland's eyes brightened.

"Combined with the [Riding Posture Synchro] Trait from [Squire], it can absolutely produce an effect greater than the sum of its parts."

After browsing through all the Extra Buffs again, he nodded in satisfaction.

Closing the occupation panel, Roland folded his hands behind his head and lay on the soft bed, thinking.

Although the attribute bonuses provided by base occupations don't improve my current strength by much, the Extra Buffs brought by Occupation Resonance always manage to bring unexpected surprises.

It seems that even after obtaining the Knight breathing method, there is no need to rush toward higher occupations. Digging deeper into the potential of base occupations first may instead bring steadier growth. However...

Thinking of higher occupations, he naturally recalled the job requirements for the only one he had triggered so far: [Enchanter].

When I left Far Harbor, Colin mentioned that he would arrange a letter of introduction from the Blacksmith Guild as soon as possible. I wonder how that is going.

Roland shook his head.

Without guild certification, even if he could enter a forge, he would only be able to work there as an apprentice.

Not every blacksmith was like Hawk, willing to let a newcomer touch the forge.

As long as he could increase the proficiency of [Basic Blacksmithing], he would gladly sweat in a forge even without pay.

But the reality was that most blacksmiths either had strange tempers and made things difficult for apprentices at every turn, or were reluctant to teach real skills for fear of starving after teaching their students too well.

Even if he was lucky enough to meet a blacksmith willing to instruct him, the number of orders in a shop was limited.

He could not use forging tools and materials as he pleased, since those all had costs.

As for setting up a set of forging tools himself?

Opening a forge workshop privately without guild certification was a serious crime that could send someone before the tribunal.

The River Kingdoms had always punished this sort of illegal act harshly. At best, all property would be confiscated. At worst, the offender would be exiled to hard labor.

Although the merchant faction currently valued him, he had no desire to invite that kind of trouble for no reason.

Forget it. Tomorrow, I'll first ask Nielsen about it. For now, the most important thing is still to obtain the Knight breathing method as soon as possible.

Thinking of the power he had personally witnessed those Transcendent Knights display, Roland's heartbeat quickened.

That overwhelming destructive force and suffocating pressure made his blood heat just from memory.

But...

Nielsen's earlier words surfaced in his mind, making his brows furrow.

Colin also mentioned that Knight breathing methods differ in quality, but what exactly is the standard for judging them?

Cultivation speed? Strength amplification? Or some kind of special effect?

With that unanswered question, Roland closed his eyes.

Outside the window, the soft sound of waves became a lullaby. Before long, his breathing turned even and deep.

Perhaps because of anticipation, Roland opened his eyes early the next morning, when the sky was only faintly bright.

He got up, washed, and prepared breakfast.

His gaze swept over his increasingly refined [Cooking] skill, and he nodded.

After setting aside the remaining food and writing a note, he pushed open the door and set out for the Knight Academy.

At that moment, the morning light was dim, and the sun had not fully risen.

The sea breeze blew against his face, carrying a damp, cold, salty scent.

Yet Roland's heart grew hotter and hotter because of the Knight breathing method that would soon be in his hands.

Perhaps because Derek had given instructions in advance, after Roland reported his name, the guards did not stop him. They even assigned someone to lead him personally to Nielsen's office.

After thanking the guard softly, Roland took a deep breath, raised his hand, and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock, knock!

The crisp knocking sounded especially clear in the quiet morning academy.

A response immediately came from inside.

"Come in."

"Good morning, Mr. Nielsen."

Roland pushed open the door and bowed to the old man behind the wooden desk.

"Mr. Derek instructed me yesterday to come..."

"I understand. Please sit, Mr. Roland."

Derek's warning yesterday had clearly been effective. Nielsen's attitude today was much friendlier than when they had first met.

Roland noticed this, but did not dwell on it. His gaze remained fixed on Nielsen's every movement.

The white-haired old man deftly pulled open a drawer. Without any unnecessary words, Nielsen took out a parchment scroll, placed it gently on the desk, then pushed it in front of Roland.

Looking at the familiar parchment scroll before him, Roland raised an eyebrow.

He recognized it. This was the same scroll Graham had promised to give him back when he had played that "small joke" on Roland.

"Mr. Roland."

Noticing the slight change in Roland's expression, Nielsen seemed to misunderstand and hurriedly explained.

"Although this breathing method has no definite name and also appears rather old..."

At this point, even Nielsen seemed to feel that his words lacked persuasiveness, but he braced himself and continued.

"...it is the Knight breathing method practiced by Lord Graham. It has always been a secret art not passed to outsiders. Even outstanding graduates of the Knight Academy have never been qualified to practice it."

"Since the founding of the River Kingdoms, the most outstanding knights to come out of our academy have been far from comparable to Lord Graham in strength. Of course..."

Perhaps worried that Roland might take offense, Nielsen hurriedly added, "If you are not satisfied, I can replace it with another one for you."

"There is no need, Mr. Nielsen. I trust you."

Roland smiled faintly, reached out, and picked up the parchment scroll. His fingers carefully rubbed the marks time had left on its surface.

Leaving aside the fact that he had personally seen this breathing method in Graham's hands, even if he had not, Nielsen had no reason to deceive him.

After observing them during this period, Roland knew well that although the merchant faction of the River Kingdoms could not avoid being mercenary and calculating, once they made a promise, they would not speak falsely.

They treated credibility as more important than their own lives.

Of course, that assumed the temptation of profit was not great enough.

"Then, Mr. Nielsen..."

Roland did not appear impatient despite having obtained the breathing method. He still rose steadily from his chair.

"May I leave?"

"Please wait a moment, Mr. Roland."

Seeing Roland's expression remain normal, Nielsen breathed a sigh of relief and said, "As I mentioned just now, this breathing method is Lord Graham's secret art and has never been read by anyone before. Therefore, Lord Graham instructed that if you cannot memorize it on the spot, you may copy a duplicate here and take it with you. However..."

He seemed to feel that such a request lacked generosity and rubbed his fingers together with some awkwardness.

"Without permission, he hopes you will not teach it to others. Please understand."

"That is reasonable."

Roland nodded.

After receiving the paper and pen Nielsen handed him, he sat quietly at the desk and began copying.

As for Nielsen, the instant Roland unfurled the scroll, he turned and left the room on his own.

For a time, only the soft scratch of the pen tip moving across paper remained in the silent room.

As more and more words appeared on the page, Roland's brows began to furrow.

While his fingertips moved across the parchment, he copied and read this nameless breathing method word by word and line by line.

Yet the deeper he went, the greater the astonishment in his heart became.

This was completely different from the Knight breathing method he had imagined.

According to Roland's understanding from ancient texts, wizards tempered their spirit through meditation methods, guided Mana Elements, and cast mysterious spells. Their core lay in stillness and thought, in constructing the mental world and controlling Mana Elements with great precision.

He had once thought that a Knight's breathing method might be a practice more inclined toward motion, one that tempered the body and stimulated potential. Perhaps some unique breathing rhythm paired with intense movement, or a method that forcibly stimulated the growth of muscles and bones.

But what the scroll before him described was an extremely precise cultivation method, one that even carried a strange rhythm.

It did not simply demand deep breathing or cooperation with movements. It was more like constructing a complex energy circulation system inside the physical body.

It required the practitioner to control every inhalation and exhalation with an extremely specific, nearly exacting rhythm, precise down to the slightest pause, turn, and the flow and sinking of breath through different parts of the body.

This felt...

Too strange.

Roland's fingers paused, and his gaze stopped on the section describing guidance of breath sensation.

It explained in detail how to use intent in coordination with breathing to guide an indescribable "breath" or "energy" that came from life itself or was drawn from the outside world.

Following the specific paths illustrated on the scroll, paths that were neither blood vessels nor nerves, that force would be pushed, accumulated, and tempered through muscles, fascia, and even the deeper bones.

How was this anything like the rough path of knights in his stereotypes?

The focus it required, the sensitivity to internal bodily perception, and the subtlety of energy manipulation were almost comparable to the mental investment a wizard needed when constructing a complex spell rune.

He subconsciously compared this breathing method with the meditation methods he understood.

A mage's meditation method was the expansion and condensation of mental power, a bridge to the ocean of elements.

This breathing method, however, was like performing an equally complex, equally focused "meditation" inside the body.

A physical meditation that used flesh and blood as the foundation, breath as the engine, and tempered the essential energy of life.

No wonder Knights and wizards can stand side by side in power!

Roland suddenly understood.

Before, he had only seen the mighty bodies of Knights charging into battle and breaking through tremendous force.

He had never imagined that beneath a Knight's powerful body, which seemed to rely on brute strength, the power supporting it was actually such a cultivation system requiring extremely high internal control and delicate operation.

This was absolutely not merely great strength. It was a path of deeply excavating one's own life energy, precisely guiding it, and strengthening it to the utmost.

Its difficulty and depth were not inferior in the slightest to constructing complex spell runes in the mental world.

What it demanded was not simple hard training, but perception and control over the body's internal operations that approached inner sight.

The value of this scroll far exceeded what he had first imagined.

The scratch of the quill resumed, but Roland's writing speed slowed despite himself. Every word seemed to carry weight.

He was no longer merely copying words. He had begun trying to understand and ponder the profound mysteries of life energy and physical strengthening hidden between the lines.

An unknown amount of time passed before he finally let out a long breath and stopped the quill in his hand.