I can evolve everything

Seven days after leaving Ironwood Town, the Northern Wasteland revealed its desolate and vast true face.

The gravel road beneath our feet meanders through the earth covered with frozen soil and withered grass.

The sky hung low, with extremely low gray clouds pressing down on the earth, obscuring the already thin sunlight until it was only a pale white.

A cold wind howled across the plain, whipping up sand and gravel that lashed against people's leather armor and horses' manes, producing a continuous, rustling sound.

During the journey, the only color was probably that red figure that kept darting around in front of and behind the group.

Although Ella was unusually down for a day or two after the Harold incident, she has recently become unusually lively again.

"Hey, Ryan."

Rein was riding his horse, silently adjusting his breathing rhythm with the rise and fall of the horse's back, trying to allow the warm current of the Black Rock Breathing Technique to more gently permeate his somewhat stiff and cold limbs. Suddenly, he felt something sharp poke his lower back.

Without the slightest hesitation, or even a moment's thought, the body's instincts reacted before consciousness could intervene.

His muscles tensed instinctively, his right hand instantly gripped the sword hilt, and at the same time, he twisted his body to the side and turned his head.

There was nothing behind him.

Only a cold wind blows across a plain of withered grass.

"Here it is, you idiot."

A clear, cheerful laugh came from above.

Raine looked up and saw Ella hanging upside down from a crooked tree.

Her once loose red hair was now tied into a high ponytail, which danced as she swayed lightly on the tree branch.

She hung upside down, her face only a few feet above Ryan's head, her crimson eyes slightly narrowed in the backlight, filled with the smugness of a successful prank.

Before Renn could speak, the girl's figure suddenly blurred.

She simply touched the branch with her toes.

call--

A pale blue aura surged around her.

The next second, she was like a leaf swept up by a gale, covering a distance of more than ten meters in a few seconds, and lightly landing on the neck of Renn's horse, even while sitting with her back to Renn.

"This is the Wind Whisperer's Breathing Technique."

Ai stretched out his finger and poked Renn's expressionless face, grinning and showing off.

"Perfect quality! Once you get into it, your body feels weightless. How about that? Isn't it much more elegant than your breathing technique?"

The girl's eyes crinkled into two crescent moons with laughter; her liveliness seemed out of place in the desolate wilderness, yet it tempered the dullness of the journey.

Ryan sighed helplessly and brushed away her fingers that were waving around in front of his eyes.

"Is this the reason you suddenly disappeared and then suddenly reappeared for the fifth time today?"

"Of course, it's to help you train your alertness." Ella raised her chin confidently, making a tiny gap between her thumb and forefinger. "Although you started learning a little bit earlier than me, when it comes to technique, I'm a genius."

It has to be admitted that she is truly talented.

Just a few days slower than Raine, who had used a cheat code, this half-elf girl had already touched the threshold of the "Wind Whisperer's Breathing Technique".

The rapid nature of the Wind Whisperer's Breathing Technique was fully embodied in her.

The speed at that instant was so great that even Rein, who wasn't using his breathing technique, couldn't detect the trajectory.

"Get down, the horse is about to collapse under your weight." Renn patted the horse's neck, his voice flat, but those familiar with it could hear a hint of helplessness in it. "It's already exhausted from carrying the armor and supplies."

"Tch, you cheapskate. I used a lightness technique, and I'm still not as heavy as your sword."

Ella pouted, then flashed back onto her horse, humming a little tune as she continued to rummage through the roadside weeds.

Looking at her retreating figure, Ryan's expression softened somewhat.

He is getting stronger, and his companions are getting stronger too.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

During lunch break.

The group stopped to rest at the foot of a rock wall.

Karen was cooking broth, while Ella ran off to scout out the surrounding terrain.

Renn did not rest.

He found a relatively flat open space and drew his longsword.

Although the breathing technique that evolved in the Misty Corridor was constantly draining his energy reserves, leaving him in a state of mild hunger, Raine did not stop training his body.

The Golden Finger is currently focusing on evolving the [Skeletal] chapter of the Breathing Technique, which means that for the next thirty days, he will no longer be able to deduce new skills through the corridor.

He currently only has three skills available:

The first benefit is the enhancement of basic physical attributes and short-term bursts of power brought about by the [Black Rock Breathing Technique].

The second is the defensive counterattack of the [Iron Wall Stance], which is currently the only skill he can be considered outstanding.

Then comes the most basic [straight chop].

Although his progress in breathing techniques is not slow, apart from breathing techniques, the ways that Rein can use to fight enemies are somewhat limited.

In the previous battles against Baron and the zombies, Rein relied mostly on his physical fighting instincts to deal with various situations.

"call……"

Raine adjusted his breathing, held his sword with both hands, and assumed the starting stance.

Chop, stab, flick, parry.

again and again.

This body's swordsmanship talent is indeed mediocre.

But he didn't stop. The sound of swords swinging echoed beneath the rock face.

Even without talent, many basic sword moves can still be learned through diligent practice.

At the very least, etch the basic sword techniques deep into the muscles, forging them into instinctive memory. Until one day, when faced with danger, your body will react naturally without conscious thought.

"Your wrist is too stiff."

A deep voice came from behind.

Karen held a bowl of hot soup in her hand, leaning against the side, watching for who knows how long.

"Are you imitating the sword strike I used to kill that corpse demon?" The old knight took a sip of soup and pointed out the awkwardness in Raine's movements. "You want to learn my sword techniques, but you're holding a one-handed sword."

"I found that move very intimidating," Renn said, pausing to catch his breath.

"That's based on my weight and the weight of the weapons."

Karen put down her bowl, walked over, and casually picked up a twig from the ground.

"Your strengths lie in your explosiveness and physical attributes. Since you're already so talented in defensive stances, don't think about how to launch tricky attacks. Learn how to kill on defense."

The old knight stopped a few steps in front of Renn, assuming a posture somewhat similar to the "Iron Wall Stance." The withered branch in his hand pointed diagonally downwards, appearing loose.

"Watch closely. This is a move I taught to new recruits in the Northern Legion, called [Half-Step Collapse Sword]."

The moment the words left his mouth, Karen moved. He simply shifted his body slightly to the side, and the branch in his hand began to swing. Then, he pushed off the ground with his back foot, and the power exploded from his ankle, flowing through his legs, waist, and spine, finally reaching his wrist.

The tip of the dead branch crackled in the air, and the next second, it stopped an inch from Rein's throat.

Stealthy, fast, and ruthless.

"A counterattack after a block doesn't require creating distance to build up power." Karen threw away the branch. "Use the opponent's stiffness after their attack is blocked, use your footwork to propel your body, and send the sword out like a spear."

"Your strength is great enough now; once you send it in, you can pierce through the plate armor."

Renn nodded thoughtfully.

"Thank you, Sir Karen."

Raine gripped his longsword again and began practicing the seemingly simple half-step thrust repeatedly, following Karen's instructions.