Gunpowder Plate Armor and the Magic Revolution

The third, fourth, fifth... the outcome of each game was the same.

Monet threw out a perfect shot every time, which was blatant cheating, and he didn't even bother to cover it up.

Noze watched helplessly as the debt in his account ballooned from one copper coin to thirty-two.

He finally realized that Monet was using his magic to precisely adjust the dice's rotation speed, collision, and even the angle of its bounce upon landing.

He not only adjusted his throws, but also secretly interfered with Noze's throws using magic.

"Commander Monet! You're cheating!"

After playing a dozen or so rounds, Noze's face turned red with anger. He reached out and pressed down on the dice on the wooden box. "What kind of skill is it to manipulate dice with magic?"

Noze, who initially didn't believe in bad luck, now simply couldn't afford to lose.

His debt, which started as a single copper coin, gradually grew into a silver shield, and now it has ballooned to the great gold shield of Orentia.

If the debt keeps doubling, even if he were the general's own son, he would most likely be unable to pay it back.

So he chose the last option: flip the table and quit.

But he clearly forgot that the premise of overturning the table is that the strength is equal.

"Oh?"

Monet raised an eyebrow, twirling the cigarette between his fingers, his tone slightly mocking. "You're a magician, and so am I. In a magician's game, magic is an essential skill. What? Does that mean you're the only one allowed to use magic on the battlefield, and no one else is?"

This was a blatant misrepresentation, which infuriated Noze, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't beat Monet, and he couldn't really quit playing, so he could only learn to use magic to control the dice and go against Monet.

And so, the two engaged in a secret battle of cheating and anti-cheating every day, and after each game, Norzer was so exhausted that he almost fainted.

Occasionally, when he won a round, Monet would never cheat; he would actually sit down and answer his questions seriously.

The practical experience that you can never learn in military school was gradually poured into Nozer's mind through these rounds of dice games.

For example, most magicians are thin-skinned but strong; as long as they can get close to the enemy alive, even a farmer with a pitchfork can knock them down.

But how to get close to that while still alive is not something you should ask.

For example, once a magical limb is damaged, it requires a long period of recovery, so never expose your limb to the attack range of other mages. That's why Monet used dice as a weapon.

For example, compared to fancy elemental spells, simple and straightforward speed spells deal much more damage to the opposing mage at the same magic power level, and are also more direct.

However, speed-up spells also have drawbacks. Their attack range is very small, making them easy to block or deflect by [Deflection] spells. Therefore, they have both advantages and disadvantages.

The most direct way to increase the power of acceleration spells is to increase the amount of magic power output.

As the saying goes, fast is good, big is beautiful, and fast and big is both good and beautiful. Who can stop a fist-sized steel ball flying towards you at supersonic speed?

Powerful bricks fly, never out of style.

As time went on, Noze discovered that his magical reserves and control levels had improved significantly.

He suddenly realized that those seemingly absurd dice games, the back-and-forth cheating and anti-cheating, and the magical battles that kept him on edge every second, were not just simple gambling games at all.

From the very beginning, Monet used this method to force him to become familiar with the way magicians fight each other, to squeeze out his potential, and to forge his mental strength and resilience.

Training at military academies always involves facing fixed targets, with no interference or confrontation. Even if you become highly skilled, it's just theoretical.

Every bet with Monet was a miniature battle.

He not only needs to achieve his goal amidst the opponent's magical interference, but also needs to find an opportunity to counterattack during the opponent's turn.

Noze then fully understood that the real way to improve magic power was never through repetitive practice behind closed doors, but through real-world competition and confrontation with others.

After noticing Nose's progress, Monet immediately changed the number of dice from one to two, and then from two to four.

In short, he has been pushing Nozer to surpass his own limits.

Having figured these things out, Nose developed even greater respect for Monet.

The food on the ship was not good; it was always hard, dark bread that could break your teeth, salty, bitter pickled fish, and thick, mushy potato soup.

Only when the sailors are lucky enough to catch a few plump sea fish will Bilkin wave his hand and order the cook to stew a big pot of fish, bring in a few barrels of ale, and the whole ship will gather on the deck for a lively meal.

These are the most vibrant moments on the ship.

The young officers laughed and joked, their conversation ranging from beautiful women and fine wine to BMWs and sharp knives, before slowly drifting back to Orentia, to Storm, to Monsoon City, and finally to their long-lost hometown.

After the dinner, the sea breeze carried the fiery sunset clouds, turning the entire sea surface a warm red.

The sea was exceptionally quiet at night, with only the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the ship.

On moonless nights, the sky is filled with stars, like scattered diamonds on black velvet, dazzlingly bright.

Sometimes when Norze couldn't sleep, he would climb to the lookout tower on the mast and lean against the railing to look at the stars.

Lucas and Andrew would also climb up, and the three of them would squeeze onto the small observation deck. Most of the time they would not speak, but simply look at the starry sky and the dark sea in the distance.

On such a quiet night, in the gentle breeze, facing the star-studded sky, even the most ruthless and cold-blooded banker would put down his Orentia shield and calmly appreciate this moment of beauty.

"We'll get back safely, right?"

Once, Lucas asked softly.

"able."

Noze looked at the brightest star in the southwest and said with certainty, "We can definitely do it."

The days passed by at a leisurely pace, and the ship sailed steadily southwestward with the help of the monsoon winds.

Captain Evan wasn't exaggerating. His sailors were all seasoned veterans who had been at sea for over a decade. Even when they encountered several minor storms, they weathered them all without delaying the voyage.

Monet remained as nonchalant as ever, spending most of his time leaning against the ship's railing watching the sea.

In his spare time, Norze would occasionally chat with Captain Evan about navigational knowledge in this world.

"If we're talking about who builds the best warships in the Federation, then without a doubt it's the Republic of Veria, especially the Herbert Shipyard. Our Orentia fleet's glorious 'Victory' was built by the Herbert Shipyard."

In front of the young Nozer, Captain Evan instantly adopted the air of a seasoned veteran, displaying the commanding presence typical of middle-aged men as he commented on the shipbuilding industries of various countries: "But when it comes to building merchant ships, Veria can't even come close to Orentia."