Chapter 10: Expertise
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Often, due to scenes depicted in films and television dramas, people tend to believe that those possessing robust physiques and bulky muscles, while strong, inherently lack agility and nimbleness. To some extent, this is indeed true. Excessively large muscles can greatly hinder one’s flexibility, and a weight far beyond normal can rob a person of lightness in movement. But all of this rests on a crucial premise: that the individuals compared are on the same level of strength.
In modern society, this premise might not hold much significance—after all, supernatural powers do not exist, and no matter how hard you train, you remain within the bounds of ordinary humans. However, in a fantastical world where legends walk among men, saints manifest, and gods and demons coexist, this premise becomes vitally important.
Compared to the eighteen-year-old newly adult “farm boy” Xia Nan, the bear goblin excels in every aspect except intelligence and farming. Even in knowledge—he understands both Goblin Tongue and the Common Language.
Therefore, even though Xia Nan, fueled by adrenaline, momentarily forgot his fear and launched an attack after dodging, the bear goblin “Hengk” reacted with ease. It didn’t even bother to pull out the spiked hammer embedded in the ground. Confronted with the swinging longsword, it simply swung its thick, brown-furred arm forcefully.
Bang—
Xia Nan was instantly sent flying backward as if struck by a train. A tremendous force slammed into his chest, freezing his thoughts; a dizzying wave of pain nearly scattered his consciousness.
“Damn!” He struggled to rise, the thick metallic taste of blood filling his mouth.
On the other side, the hulking figure of Hengk stood before him.
“Bugs, you’re naughty!” The bear goblin let the shallow wound on its neck bleed freely, its tawny eyes filled with anger and vexation, as if a rabbit about to be skinned had bitten it. “Hengk wants to eat you alive!”
The bear goblin tribe had not evolved methods of “torture.” To creatures with a near-primitive mindset, letting prey watch itself being eaten alive was the cruelest fate. Their shamans even found a plant that allowed prey to remain conscious despite grievous wounds. Of course, Hengk lacked such conditions or advanced “cooking” skills at the moment. Thus, Xia Nan would likely die a quicker death.
Now, facing the advancing bear goblin and fully aware of the vast gap in strength between them, Xia Nan had no thoughts of pleading for mercy. On one hand, he doubted the other’s morality would allow leniency. On the other, he noticed, not far behind Hengk, the hunter Magi—whose leg had just been shattered and who was wailing in pain—was slowly sitting up against a cave wall, clutching his bow in his right hand and reaching for his quiver with the left.
Their eyes briefly met and then parted. Though they had little rapport and no tacit understanding, in that moment, Xia Nan instinctively grasped the meaning behind Magi’s gaze: buy time, draw the enemy’s attention.
His mind worked rapidly as he opened his mouth.
“Hey, that’s not tasty if you eat it like that.”
“Huh?” Surprised to hear the small bug speak, Hengk hesitated, holding the spiked hammer high. “No! People taste good!”
“If you want to eat me raw, I recommend marinating.” Xia Nan, sensing the goblin’s curiosity, rambled on without caring what he said.
“You can first wash me clean in a basin, then add salt to kill germs and season. Stir for five minutes, then add ginger, garlic, chili, and soy sauce, seal it up, and wait thirty minutes.”
“That flavor…” Seeing Hengk’s impatience at his random instructions, Xia Nan shifted the focus to taste.
“Sweet and spicy, it retains my original flavor while savoring the tangy, spicy seasoning. Very appetizing.”
“Sweet? Spicy… what’s that taste like?” Hengk asked, still holding the spiked hammer but hesitating.
After all, it was a bear goblin, not a single-mindedly carnivorous ogre.
As soon as it spoke, Hengk realized.
“Little bug, trying to trick me, damn it!”
It lunged forward two steps, muscles bulging in the arm holding the hammer, ready to crush the annoying insect beneath.
At that moment, Magi was ready again.
He nocked an arrow, pulled the bowstring tight, and aimed.
Whoosh—
The familiar metallic whiz echoed once more.
Compared to before, the distance between him and the bear goblin was shorter, making it difficult for the opponent to dodge despite its superhuman reflexes; and the energy shield that almost all archers dread was absent.
Thus…
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“Shh!”
Blood splattered.
Magi, whose leg had been shattered, shot the arrow while sitting against the cave wall. Though assisted by his skill, the power was diminished.
The metal arrowhead pierced the bear goblin’s right eye almost instantly, but only half the tip entered the socket.
Paralyzing poison quickly spread inward from the wound.
Severely injured, but not fatal.
Seizing this last chance for survival, Xia Nan showed no fear.
While the bear goblin howled in agony from the eye injury, Xia Nan gripped his single-handed sword tightly, enduring the tearing pain in his arm muscles, and forced out his fourth [Whirling Slash] of the day.
A cold gleam flashed.
The brown fur offered no resistance to the keen blade;
The thick, leather-like skin was the first barrier, slightly slowing the blade;
The stored fat was like murky swamp water; the sword slid smoothly but lost some force;
The rock-hard muscle absorbed nearly all the sword’s sharpness, but with the aid of the [Whirling Slash], it was broken through with difficulty;
Finally, the blade reached the hardest defense inside the body—
Bone.
“Crack.”
No longer passed from novice adventurers’ hands, this battle-hardened sword met its destined end. In a fierce fight worthy of its combat history, it fractured.
The sudden emptiness in his hand halted the unleashed force.
Xia Nan watched the crack widen on the blade, then, propelled by the inertia of the [Whirling Slash], he was flung off at an angle.
“Roar!!!”
A furious bellow, pain unlike any before, stripped the bear-like brute of all remaining sanity.
Along with its eyeball, the arrow was ripped from the socket, blood pouring like a waterfall, staining its massive body, amplifying its ferocity.
Facing this raging beast was a weak hunter with a shattered leg and a novice adventurer drained of energy and weaponless.
The fate of the “Rotten Fish and Shrimp” team seemed sealed.
Despair filled Magi’s face.
The second use of [Precision Strike] left his body paralyzed from overload.
Every muscle twitched uncontrollably, unable to summon even the slightest strength.
His gaze was vacant, lost in thought.
Perhaps regretting greed that led him into this cave, or hating himself for never learning caution; maybe recalling the smiling girl waiting under the white oak tree in his hometown.
Unexpectedly, compared to the hopeless hunter Magi, Xia Nan—though also near collapse—wore a complex expression.
Yes, complex.
Like when playing mahjong with a terrible hand, intending to play defensively until the round ended, but accidentally drew a winning tile at the last moment; or spending thousands in a game without any rare drops, only to get an SSR on the final free pull before quitting.
A strange mix of “Why the hell didn’t you come earlier?” relief, surprise, and grievance.
Because just as he executed the [Whirling Slash], a stream of translucent characters flashed before his eyes.
“Proficiency +1”
“[Whirling Slash] lv4 (100/100) — [Whirling Slash] lv5 (Max)”
“Strength +1, Agility +1”
“Expertise [Slash Master] unlocked”
…
[Slash Master]
Category: Expertise
Effect: Slash damage +5%
Description:
Day after day of practice has allowed you to gradually comprehend the mysteries hidden between the blade’s edge.
Note 1:
“Back in the day, I took this sword from the Heavenly Mountain all the way to the Ninth Hell. Five years and six months, back and forth, without ever blinking an eye.”
—Ragnarök: “Sword of Final Eradication” 35th Contract Holder, The Forsaken, Julius
Note 2:
“Sweat will never betray you!”
—Stone Saint: Legendary Martial Monk “Sharp Edge Sect,” Yong Wu
…
Facing mortal danger, Xia Nan had no time to study these details closely. He only glanced briefly, understanding that he had gained the last bit of proficiency in [Whirling Slash], raising it to max level lv5, and earned a series of improvements.
Suddenly, an inexplicable power erupted from deep within him like a spring, swiftly spreading throughout his body.
His tired muscles relaxed as if soaking in a hot spring; the previously somewhat loose figure tightened, strength and explosive power markedly enhanced; the ground beneath him seemed to soften, and his shoes felt spring-loaded, making him swift and light.
As if inhabiting a new body, all fatigue and pain vanished in an instant.
Xia Nan lifted his head, his dark eyes fixed on the furious figure charging straight at him.
He tossed aside the broken single-handed sword handle.
A silver-white flash caught his peripheral vision; he glanced back—
The corpse of Gagu lay on the ground, his half-man-high two-handed axe plunged into the earth beside him.
His thoughts drifted; his decision was made.
The bear goblin “Hengk,” severely wounded, had sunk into uncontrollable madness.
Its mind dominated by endless destructive desire, it would tear even its dead goblin minions to pieces without mercy.
In this state, it had no awareness of what had changed in the weak human youth before it.
Hengk instinctively repeated the countless hunting steps it had performed over the past decade.
Charge, aim at prey, raise spiked hammer, smash…
Hum—
A purer and briefer silver-white streak flashed through the dark cave.
This signified further enhanced explosive power and more refined technique.
Having mastered [Whirling Slash] at lv5 max, Xia Nan fully comprehended every aspect of the move.
How to maximize power while conserving stamina, the angles that cause greater damage, the perfect timing…
It had become part of his body.
The 5% damage bonus from [Slash Master], though seemingly small, was an unrestricted, cumulative boost applied to every attack.
Not to mention the two invaluable points gained in “Strength” and “Agility.”
Muscle power, physical potential, reaction speed, and agility…
Going from level 5 to 6 was not just a 20% numerical increase but a complex, comprehensive growth across all facets.
In a matter of seconds, Xia Nan’s combat ability soared several levels.
Based on this, the [Whirling Slash] he wielded now possessed qualitatively greater power.
The once unwieldy two-handed axe felt surprisingly manageable after his body’s enhancement.
Surging strength rose from his legs, quickly converging and transmitting.
The axe blade swung diagonally upward, concentrating all his energy into a single point before bursting forth!
“Roar!”
A stench of blood and fury hit his face; the shadow of the raised spiked hammer loomed over him.
Xia Nan could clearly see the bear goblin’s tawny, cloudy eyes bloodshot with veins, feel the trembling air waves from its roar.
But that was all.
Because the next moment, a familiar resistance greeted his hand—the dull touch of a blade breaking through flesh.
Fur, muscle, bone—what had blocked his fractured sword was effortlessly cleaved.
A moment’s hesitation, then silky smoothness.
The axe blade spun Xia Nan’s body through a 180-degree arc.
Shhh—
The bear goblin’s massive head flew from its original place, its face still frozen in a roar.
The hammer crashed to the ground.
A fountain of hot crimson blood surged out, and the hulking body collapsed.