Some kind of transformation... after tempering the breathing method to its limit?

Seeing Roland frown, Graham reached out and rubbed his short black hair.

"Boy, your talent is good, but that sort of thing... isn't something you should be thinking about right now."

His voice carried the fatigue of someone who had walked the road before.

"Training a Knight breathing method is difficult enough on its own. People who can truly master one are already rare."

Some unpleasant memory seemed to surface, and Graham sighed.

"Among those rare Knights, the ones who can temper their breathing method to the extreme are fewer than one in a hundred. Nearly extinct, really. So don't put too much pressure on yourself. Even if..."

At that point, the principal of the Knight Academy took a deep breath. A reluctant smile squeezed onto his solemn face.

"Even if it costs a little lifespan, so what? Life is short. To shine brighter than ordinary people in the time you have is already a tremendous fortune."

Surprise moved through Roland's eyes.

He had not expected the rough-looking Graham to say something so philosophical.

Still, Graham's comfort did not change the thought in Roland's heart.

Tempering the breathing method to its limit...

For ordinary people, that might be harder than climbing into the heavens, but...

Thinking of his golden finger, Roland's mouth lifted in a barely visible arc.

For him, with the occupation panel, pushing the Knight breathing method to its peak was only a matter of time.

Noticing that his words had not made Roland retreat at all, Graham frowned.

"Boy, just because you managed to train the breathing method and draw out battle aura in a crude way doesn't mean the path ahead will be easy."

He paused, and his tone grew earnest.

"Training a breathing method is a long and difficult road. If you rush for quick results, you may instead..."

Graham waved a hand and sighed.

"Forget it. Since I'm in a decent mood today..."

The broad man casually picked up a training longsword from the weapon rack and crooked a finger at Roland.

"Come on, boy. I'll give you some guidance."

Roland's eyes brightened at once.

He immediately cast aside his distracting thoughts, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully.

"Thank you, Principal Graham."

"Ha!"

Roland's humility made Graham nod in satisfaction.

The broad man tested the weight of the training longsword in his hand and gave a low chuckle.

"Don't thank me yet. Do you know about the annual 'study tour' tradition established after the River Kingdoms formed diplomatic relations with neighboring nations? This year, it's our turn to visit the Knight Academy of the Golden Valley Kingdom for an exchange."

"Train properly, boy. If you run into anything you don't understand while practicing the breathing method, you can come ask me anytime. But when the time comes..."

Graham turned his wrist, held the longsword upright at his side, and assumed the opening stance of his usual swordsmanship.

"You will lead the team there. Don't embarrass me. Understood?"

"Yes!"

Roland agreed without hesitation.

He had only heard a little about the study tours, but the chance to consult a powerful Knight like Graham about the breathing method at any time was worth any challenge.

Besides, given the stable diplomacy between the River Kingdoms and its neighbors, he did not think the trip would bring any real danger.

"Good!"

Seeing Roland answer so decisively, appreciation moved through Graham's eyes. His voice dropped into a command.

"Now... circulate your breathing method and attack me!"

For the next stretch of time, the silent training ground rang with sharp clashes of metal, broken now and then by Graham's rough roars.

"Too slow, boy! The breathing method isn't a shackle. It's your second skin! Make it live!"

"Where are your eyes? On the sword tip? Idiot! Watch my shoulders! Watch my waist! Predict! The breathing method gives you more than brute strength. It gives you perception!"

"Ha! That has some shape to it! Battle aura isn't dead water poured into a sword. It's a torrent that surges out with your movements!"

The setting sun sank below the horizon, and dusk thickened.

Roland drove the training longsword into the ground with effort, his chest pumping like a worn bellows.

"Hah... hah... hah..."

He gasped for air. It took him a while to steady himself.

The exchange with Graham had been short, but maintaining the breathing method through such fierce combat was far harder than Roland had imagined.

Even so...

His gaze swept over the sharply increased experience value of the Knight breathing method on the occupation panel, and a satisfied smile crept onto his lips.

As the principal of the Knight Academy, Graham's teaching ability was extremely high. Even compared with Reggie, who specialized in instruction, he was not inferior at all.

Compared with Reggie's detailed but somewhat cumbersome guidance, Graham's teaching was cleaner and more efficient.

In this brief exchange alone, Roland could feel that his use of battle aura had improved significantly.

This was far better than fumbling through it alone.

"All right, boy. That's enough for today!"

Seeing sweat dripping from Roland's forehead, Graham tossed the training longsword back with a casual flick. It landed precisely on the weapon rack.

"Use your body to remember that cold feeling when battle aura flows. The rest... is tempering it day after day!"

He poured the last bit of wine from his flask down his throat and strode straight out of the training ground.

"If there's anything you don't understand, come ask me anytime."

Before his words had fully faded, his sturdy figure had disappeared from Roland's sight.

"Cold... feeling?"

Roland frowned as he considered Graham's words.

It was not that he had failed to sense the path of battle aura in combat. The problem was...

That feeling was not cold at all. It was a scorching heat that words could barely describe.

When he pushed the breathing method to its limit in fierce combat, what surged through him did not feel like air. It felt more like clusters of burning flame.

"Do different constitutions perceive the breathing method differently? Or..."

His thoughts moved quickly. Roland summoned the occupation panel and fixed his gaze on the race column.

Looking at the word "Dragon?" there, his brow tightened further.

"Is this abnormality... related to the golden droplet Dragon bestowed?"

Since the incident in Mist Creek Town, Roland had read a large number of ancient texts, but he had found no record of mortals being granted Dragon blood.

As for himself, aside from a slight enhancement to his physique, he had not shown any abnormalities in daily life.

Therefore, he had temporarily set the matter aside along with [Shar's Favor].

But now...

"Maybe... that drop of Dragon blood is quietly changing my body?"

The thought made him lower his head and examine himself.

His skin was fair and carried a healthy luster. Outwardly, he looked no different from an ordinary human.

"I should probably ask Galvez about this."

Roland wiped the sweat from his forehead, returned the longsword to the weapon rack, and turned toward home.

"As a Half-Elf, he has a long lifespan and has traveled nearly half the continent. He may know something useful."

Exhaustion made Roland's steps unsteady.

By the time he returned home, night had deepened.

He ate a quick meal, washed briefly, then collapsed onto the bed and sank into a deep sleep.

Perhaps because of the Knight breathing method, when Roland woke early the next morning, he felt no fatigue at all. Instead, he was refreshed, in even better condition than before.

He let out a long breath and circulated the Knight breathing method once more. After confirming that the battle aura flowing through him still felt scorching rather than cold, he pushed open the door and entered the kitchen.

The stove fire soon rose. Before long, a simple but hearty breakfast was ready.

Bronson had been buried in research lately, so Roland set aside a portion of food and sent it to him.

Only after that did he go wake Galvez.

As for Teresa, the diligent young woman had gone to the Adventurer's Guild early that morning to gather information.

Watching the bard wolf down food while repeatedly raising his thumb in praise, Roland thought for a moment, then spoke.

"Galvez, how much do you know about the Transcendent occupation Knight?"

"Huh?"

Hearing a question Roland had already asked until it was nearly worn out, Galvez struggled to swallow the food in his mouth and said helplessly, "Roland, I've already told you everything I know about that. I'm not a Knight. I can't answer deeper questions, and I definitely can't give you advice on practicing a breathing method..."

"I understand."

Roland chewed his food and continued, "I only want to ask... what do most Knights feel when they practice a breathing method? The breath sensation, or battle aura?"

"That..."

Galvez furrowed his brow and thought hard for a moment.

"When I traveled the continent, I dealt with a few Knights and talked about similar topics. According to them..."

The bard's fingertips began plucking the harp strings without his notice.

"The feeling of battle aura flowing within the body is more like flowing water, gentle or surging, but always carrying a kind of... unique coldness."

"Is that so..."

Hearing the answer he had expected, Roland took a deep breath.

After a brief silence, he changed the subject without revealing anything.

"Galvez, after traveling the continent for so many years, you must have heard plenty of strange tales, right? I once read stories in some adventure novels about mortals being granted Dragon blood. Has that ever happened in reality?"

"A Dragon granting a mortal Dragon blood?"

This was a field that interested Galvez, so he did not notice the stiff turn in Roland's question.

He waved a hand, and a mocking smile appeared on his face.

"Roland, don't forget. Every story is born from reality. But a legend with no logic and no basis in reality is the sort of thing only a third-rate bard would make up!"

"What kind of proud beings are Dragons? In their eyes, mortals are no different from ants. Without special circumstances, why would they ever bestow their own blood on a mortal? Besides..."

Galvez snorted.

"Do you remember the Warlocks I told you about?"

"Their twisted appearances are the evil result of bodies unable to endure bloodline fusion. So even if a mortal truly received Dragon blood, unless it happened under extraordinary circumstances, there would be only one ending..."

The bard raised one finger. His tone was casual, but his conclusion was firm.

"Over time, that mortal would be warped by the Dragon blood and eventually become a mindless husk, or a complete monster!"

Silence settled over the air.

"Uh... ahem..."

Noticing Roland's grave expression, the bard cleared his throat and asked in confusion, "What's wrong, Roland?"

"Nothing."

Roland shook his head and quickly restrained his thoughts.

"Then Galvez, are there no examples in this world of someone successfully fusing with another bloodline?"

"Of course there are! Quite a few!"

The topic clearly excited Galvez.

He plucked the harp strings and began speaking with the cadence of a legend.

"For example, the Naga race has a natural affinity with fishman bloodlines."

"Elves are similar. They have affinity with the bloodlines of natural creatures. Ancient records say some Elves even voluntarily introduced animal bloodlines into themselves to strengthen their power, and that eventually gave rise to the Transcendent occupation known as Druid."

"And then there is the Dragon bloodline you mentioned..."

The music grew more impassioned, and Galvez became increasingly immersed, even standing up with one foot on the wooden chair.

"Legend says the Dwarf kingdom of the north worshiped Dragons, and because of that, they received a gift from the Dragon race in ancient times. Many Dwarves awakened Dragon bloodlines as a result."

"Their forging skills advanced by leaps and bounds. They even used Mana Elements to create machines capable of moving on their own. Of course..."

The music sank. The bard clicked his tongue, still wanting to continue.

"These are only ancient legends. At least in the present age, I have never seen any species perfectly fuse with a bloodline outside its own."

Hearing this, Roland fell into thought.

"The Dwarf kingdom of the north..."

Although that drop of blood bestowed by Dragon had not caused any obvious mutation yet, that did not mean he could ignore it.

The clue Galvez provided came from hundreds of years ago, but it was the only information Roland had found so far about mortals being granted Dragon blood.

"Perhaps... I can go to the Dwarf kingdom in the north and investigate..."

While Roland was thinking, Galvez had already sat back down. He stuffed the remaining food on his plate into his mouth and asked, "By the way, Roland, why did you suddenly ask about all this?"

"Just curious."

Roland brushed it off lightly, then asked, "How are the supplies for going out?"

"Prepared long ago."

Thinking about having to travel with Avril for so long, the bard sprawled dejectedly across the table.

"Roland, do I really have to go? I don't have much combat power, and I won't be any help against monsters..."

"This is not negotiable. Unless..."

Roland remained unmoved.

He still did not have an accurate grasp of Galvez's strength.

But based only on the way Galvez had used music on the ship to interfere with the fishmen attack, Roland had more than enough reason to include this bard in the adventuring party.

That battlefield control ability was almost equivalent to the [Dazzling Charm] Trait of [Juggler], and might even surpass it.

Roland could clearly feel that the bard's ability had a wider range and more varied effects.

Thinking of this, Roland continued, "Unless you can convince Avril."

"Then forget it..."

Hearing Avril's name, Galvez instinctively shuddered.

Just then, a clear voice came from outside the courtyard.

"Roland! We're back!"

Before the words had finished, Avril's agile figure had appeared beside the wooden table.

Teresa followed close behind her, still wearing an indifferent expression. Only when she saw Roland did a faint ripple pass through the calm depths of her eyes.

"Mr. Roland."

Teresa sat down elegantly on the wooden chair beside Roland. After accepting utensils, she ate quickly and efficiently while speaking in a clear voice.

"Miss Avril and I have already gathered information and carefully selected a suitable commission. If everything is ready, we can set out tomorrow morning."