Translator: CinderTL
Roland let out a soft sigh and returned to Black Wind and Theresa, slowly leaning against the wall to sit down.
Whether the tunnel inside the cave led to the outside world or not, he had to wait for the others to wake up first.
Otherwise, if he went to explore alone and a demonic beast attacked, his unconscious companions would be completely defenseless.
With this thought, Roland reopened the Job Panel and carefully examined the golden text he hadn't finished reading earlier.
Detected Warrior class. Job Resonance can be triggered.
Job Resonance
Knight's Squire + Warrior
Gained additional buff: Battle Will Synchronization
Battle Will Synchronization: After activating Battle Frenzy, the mount's attributes are synchronized with the rider's, but it also shares the negative effects of the rider's mental attribute reduction. When the spirit value drops too low, the mount may lose control and attack friendly units.
"Not bad at all," Roland murmured, recalling the sudden surge in power he had experienced after activating Battle Frenzy. He nodded slightly.
"Although my current mount is just a horse like Black Wind, so the buff doesn't seem particularly strong right now, if I can tame other powerful mounts in the future, this Battle Will Synchronization will truly shine!"
He continued scrolling down.
Knight's Squire + Blacksmith
Gained additional buff: Keratin Liberation
Keratin Liberation: When activated, the mount's body erupts with a race-specific keratin layer, massively increasing its defense. The buff's intensity and duration depend on the mount's stamina attribute and growth potential.
"Increased defense? Not bad, but..."
Roland reached up and slowly stroked his chin.
"It seems that unlike job resonance with other classes, the Knight's Squire's additional buffs primarily enhance the mount's capabilities rather than the rider's own."
His gaze shifted downward, and another line of text caught his eye.
Knight's Squire + Juggler
Gained additional buff: Phantom Ride Step
Phantom Ride Step: When activated, each directional change or leap while riding leaves behind afterimages. The number and duration of these afterimages depend on the mount's agility attribute and growth potential.
"Oh?"
Roland's eyebrows arched slightly as he read the description.
"Though it doesn't directly enhance my combat power, this skill is incredibly practical. If my mount has high growth potential and agility, enemies will be completely unable to track my movements as I weave through the battlefield, making it impossible for them to predict my position!"
This realization intensified his desire for a powerful mount.
While Black Wind was of decent quality, he was ultimately just an ordinary warhorse.
Even with these additional enhancements, the improvements were limited.
"Colin mentioned earlier that the River Domain Nations are home to a diverse array of races, including common ones like dwarves and elves, as well as highly intelligent demonic beasts called Gnomes, renowned for their trading prowess. Perhaps I can find a suitable mount there."
As he pondered this, a pained groan reached his ears.
Theresa, rubbing her throbbing head, slowly sat up and looked around in confusion.
But when her gaze met Roland's face, the wariness in her eyes gradually faded.
"Mr. Roland, where are we? And what just happened?"
Confirming that Theresa was unharmed aside from some dizziness, Roland let out a sigh of relief and proceeded to recount everything that had transpired.
"So..." Theresa's voice was dry as she spoke after hearing Roland's explanation. "We're trapped in this cave?"
"Not exactly," Roland replied, tending to Black Wind. As his mount slowly rose to its feet, he pointed deeper into the cave. "I scouted ahead earlier. The passages are complex and winding, but there's a steady wind flowing through them. If we follow it in one direction, we should be able to reach the surface. Oh, and..."
He opened his pouch and saw Joe groggily opening his eyes. Roland gently stroked the little creature's furry head. "How are you feeling now? Can you stand and walk?"
"I... think so," Theresa said, pushing herself up from the ground. She tested her slightly shaky legs and nodded slowly. "Then let's not waste any time. We should move out immediately."
Roland grabbed Black Wind's reins and took the lead. "Even though the earthquake has subsided for now, we can't be sure it won't strike again."
Theresa glanced at the glowing orb floating above Roland's head, her eyes filled with curiosity, but she refrained from asking any questions and obediently followed behind.
The once-silent cave suddenly echoed with soft footsteps.
In the oppressive darkness, it was impossible to gauge the passage of time.
After an indeterminate period, Roland reoriented himself and, without pausing, asked, "What exactly happened back there? Why did you suddenly faint?"
"I don't know either," Theresa replied, shaking her head, her face pale. "I just heard a sound, and then it felt like my brain had been struck with a heavy hammer. The pain was unbearable."
"A sound?" Roland frowned at this key word.
If she was referring to the sound before the earthquake, he had heard it too, but it had only struck him as piercingly shrill, with no other effects.
As he pondered this, a familiar sensation emanated from nearby.
Roland decisively reached out to stop Theresa behind him while simultaneously directing the light orb to probe ahead.
The ground was covered in intricate black patterns, identical to those they had seen in Joe's forest earlier.
The same chilling, decaying aura, reeking of death, was present, though far less concentrated than in the forest.
After taking a deep breath and confirming he felt no chest tightness or other abnormal reactions, Roland slowly furrowed his brow.
Every branching path ahead was overrun with the black patterns.
"Theresa, do you sense anything unusual?"
Seeing the silver-haired woman shake her head slightly, Roland said in a low voice, "Stay close to me. If you notice anything strange, alert me immediately."
"Understood, Mr. Roland," Theresa replied, nodding despite not understanding Roland's caution.
Fortunately, their journey proceeded without incident.
The black lines continued to stretch forward, but it didn't become denser or thicker as it had in the forest.
Before long, Roland and his companions reached the end of the path.
Blinding light poured down from the opening above, accompanied by a cacophony of sounds: the clang of weapons colliding, and the roars of humans and demonic beasts.
Roland's heart sank.
They had found the exit, but the situation outside was clearly far from peaceful.
"Theresa, stop."
He immediately lowered his voice, signaling for silence with a gesture. Pressing himself against the cold rock wall, he cautiously peered upward.
He quickly retracted the light orb to avoid revealing their position.
Theresa held her breath, and Black Wind seemed to sense his master's tension, stamping its hooves uneasily.
"There's a battle above. The situation is unclear," Roland whispered, his voice barely audible but carrying an unmistakable weight of urgency.
"Stay here for now and keep quiet. I'll go up and check the situation."
"Remember, don't come out unless absolutely necessary or I return to call for you."
"Then I'll leave it to you, Mr. Roland. Please be careful."
Theresa's eyes were filled with worry, but after sensing that her body hadn't fully recovered, she understood this was the safest course of action.
Roland nodded, saying nothing more.
He stretched his limbs, assessing the climbing route.
Though the cave wall was steep, it wasn't without handholds.
Taking a deep breath, he began to ascend with the agility and silence of a gecko, his movements fluid and cautious, careful not to disturb any loose stones.
As he neared the cave entrance, the clamor of battle grew increasingly clear and piercing.
The air was thick with the stench of blood and the earthy scent of dust.
Finally, he cautiously peered over the edge of the cave entrance.
Before him lay a relatively open plain, now transformed into a chaotic battlefield.
Over a hundred human soldiers in standard armor, armed with spears and short swords, had formed a loose circular formation, desperately holding their ground.
Their opponents were a diverse horde of demonic beasts: goblins, kobolds, Hyena-Men, and numerous aberrant demonic creatures.
The soldiers' spears pierced the Aberrant Kobolds' tough scales, often leaving only shallow white marks and failing to inflict fatal wounds.
Soldiers fell to the ground, screaming in agony under the demonic beasts' relentless attacks, their battle lines teetering on the brink of collapse.
As Roland's gaze swept across the battlefield, rapidly assessing the situation, his attention was involuntarily drawn to the distant horizon.
Beneath the leaden sky, a colossal, suffocatingly massive silhouette glided slowly across the heavens.
The distance was too great to discern any specific details, revealing only a mountain-like outline.
This creature possessed an unimaginable wingspan. Each slow, powerful beat seemed to stir the high-altitude clouds, casting a heart-stopping shadow across the battlefield.
Its flight posture exuded an ancient, ponderous majesty. Its mere presence radiated an invisible, soul-shattering pressure.
Roland's pupils constricted to pinpricks, and his blood seemed to freeze in his veins.
Is that a dragon?
An unprecedented chill surged up his spine, shooting straight to the crown of his head.
(End of the Chapter)
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