Multiverse: Dimension Hopping Mage

Chapter 25: Skill Specialization [Weapon Mastery]

With Stone's guidance, Alex noticeably found it much easier to survive in that world.

Previously, Alex's frequent and gruesome deaths were not just due to his lack of understanding of that world but also because he had no idea how to handle sudden situations.

Especially when facing giants four or five meters tall or bizarre monsters, Alex was clueless about how to deal with them. Was he supposed to just use his sword?

Even if he had an iron head, it wouldn't stand a chance against such creatures, let alone those damn malicious mimic chests!

In this area, Stone's rich experience proved invaluable. A few pointers from him benefited Alex immensely.

In return, Alex frequently talked to Stone about the other world. Stone seemed quite interested in that world and often pulled Alex aside to ask about its current state.

This gave Alex the nostalgic feeling of discussing game strategies with classmates during his school days.

The hard work paid off, and Alex noticeably died less frequently in that world due to unexpected events.

After successfully defeating the Abyss Watchers deep in Farron Keep without taking any damage, Alex finally received his first reward in the free instance.

Skill Specialization [Weapon Mastery]!

[Weapon Mastery: In the endless cycle of death, you have grasped the essence of combat. Starting with a sword, life and death are determined by fate. You finally understand that in this world, the only companion you can truly rely on is the weapon in your hand (initial proficiency with all weapons is 100%).]

Upon gaining this specialization, Alex curiously tested it and was overjoyed with the results.

With the [Weapon Mastery] bonus, not only did he find using Royal Cross Swordsmanship smoother, but even when he wielded equipment like greatswords and shortswords, these previously unfamiliar weapons felt like extensions of his own body, allowing him to handle them with ease.

This was indeed a valuable specialization reward. Through this specialization reward, Alex realized that the instance rewards seemed to be based on whether he could defeat the boss without taking any damage.

Previously, he had died multiple times while fighting other bosses and was exhausted even when he won.

This time, defeating the enemy without taking any damage was entirely due to Stone's guidance, Alex's thorough preparation, and a bit of luck.

With this specialization mastered, Alex eagerly headed to the temple to practice with Stone. However, before he even stepped through the temple gates, he saw Stone, in full armor, striding out and clapping a hand on Alex's shoulder, pulling him inside.

"Come on, kid, we've got work to do!"

"Is it a battle?" Alex was used to Stone's unpredictable behavior. He was momentarily stunned but quickly understood.

After all, the temple wasn't supporting him out of charity. As an apprentice guardian knight, enjoying the temple's benefits also meant he had to contribute. "That's right."

Leading Alex down the corridor, Stone quickly explained the situation. "Just now, we received a distress call from Shadow Canyon. A team of knights tracking cultists entered the depths of the canyon but fell into a trap and are now trapped in the Bone Field... What a bunch of idiots!"

"Who allowed them to go to Shadow Canyon? Don't they know it's the Twilight Border? And now I have to clean up their mess." Hearing this, Alex couldn't help but twitch his lips.

He had a feeling that these knights might be the unfortunate souls killed by his own body's previous actions.

"Am I going too?"

"Of course. You're strong, and it seems you're not lacking in combat experience now. Star Moon City is short on manpower, and right now, the only ones available are you and me."

"Plus, your power is holy, which is perfect for dealing with those undead bastards. Let's see what you've got!" As they spoke, they reached the end of the corridor.

Seeing Stone and Alex, the temple warriors at the end of the hallway saluted and opened the heavy stone doors behind them.

Beyond the stone doors was a massive circular teleportation array, the temple's most powerful weapon. This array could achieve unlimited long-distance teleportation. \

During wartime, it could even transport troops directly to the battlefield using the archbishop's power.

Of course, this teleportation array, while seemingly invincible, had its limitations. If the enemy set up a spatial anchor to block the entire space, the array would be useless. But even so, it was an excellent choice for traveling.

"Huh?" To Alex's surprise, upon entering the teleportation hall, he immediately saw two figures near the teleportation array.

One was the familiar old bishop, and the other was an unexpectedly cute girl in a black robe.

When she saw Alex, her face turned slightly red, and she lowered her head, staring at the ground without saying a word.

…If he remembered correctly, wasn't this the shy girl from the City Hall who had authenticated his star pattern?

What is she doing here? 

"What's the situation?" Stone immediately asked the old bishop as they entered the teleportation hall. The old bishop shook his head helplessly. 

"It's not good. I managed to contact them briefly, but the connection was soon lost..."

"Idiots," Stone muttered, rolling his eyes.

"What about their teleportation crystals?" 

"The enemy has cast a spatial restriction; the crystals can't be used..."

"So we have at least one lich-level opponent waiting for us?" Stone's expression grew darker with each piece of news.

"What were these fools thinking, going to fight a lich in the Bone Field? If they're so capable, why not storm the Twilight Border? They're so full of themselves, thinking they can save the world when they haven't even weaned off their mothers' milk!"

It's clear that Stone had picked up some of Alex's colorful language from their time together.

"So what now?" 

"We'll rely on her," the old bishop said, looking at the girl beside him. Noticing the attention, she trembled slightly but nodded.

"This is Miss M. She can provide coordinates for the closest location you can teleport to..."

M...

Hearing the name, Alex chuckled softly. He wasn't surprised. During his time at the temple, Alex learned that astrologers treat their names as secrets because they believe their names are linked to the stars.

Therefore, they use codes instead of real names, known only to their mentors and families.

Looking at the timid girl who seemed like a frightened squirrel, Alex thought the code suited her. She certainly looked like a fragile maiden.

"Her?" 

Stone's concern was practical. 

"How can she lead us in if there's a spatial restriction?" 

The girl finally spoke in a soft voice.

"Um... actually... I can chart a path using the stars' trajectories. It won't be affected by the spatial restriction... but..."

"You can do that?" Stone was astonished.

"Finding a star path is difficult even for advanced astrologers!"

"Miss M is the prized student of Royal Astrologer Oscar," the old bishop added. "You must ensure her safety. If she gets hurt, I won't handle Oscar's wrath."

"Wait... what do you mean?" Stone's face changed again.

"Just as you heard, she will accompany you to the Bone Field..." the old bishop smiled.

"...Huh?" Stone was stunned.

(End of Chapter)

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