"I don’t know what Divine Obstruction is," Leo said, confused. "Master only told me it was an obstruction skill."
Rowan took a deep breath. He calmed himself and spoke in a low voice. "There’s no mistake. That was Divine Obstruction."
"Mimi, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen Divine Obstruction. Retribution Knight or Guardian Knight, everyone learns it once they reach the Radiant Knight level."
"Without that skill, Leo might not have been able to block your last strike at all. Now I understand why Senior Corvin allowed him to fight a Genuine Knight. With Divine Obstruction, lasting fifteen minutes against a knight’s attacks isn’t impossible."
"The condition to learn Divine Obstruction is Radiant Knight rank. But that’s only a rule of our Knight Temple. It’s not a limit on how the skill can be taught."
"If someone has natural talent, ability, and fast reactions, a sixth-stage knight can teach them any skill. They only need our Knight Temple’s permission."
"Long ago, there was a great knight. His skills were so extraordinary that he earned the right to break this rule. He could teach it to anyone he chose."
Rowan was an Earth Knight. He knew far more than Mira about what Divine Obstruction really was.
And that was exactly why he was so shaken.
The skill is easy to explain. It lets a person change their defense completely, just for a moment.
Put simply, their defense becomes like a solid iron rock. Only attacks stronger than the skill’s defense can break through.
But even an attack from a weapon as tough and hard as an iron rock can’t pierce it.
Divine Obstruction is like turning iron ore into an iron rod. Easy to say, incredibly hard to do. It takes enormous talent.
And if it’s mastered to a certain level, it can pull in at least a part of the enemy’s attack power and turn it into the user’s own strength. That power can be used for attack or defense.
At its highest level, its defense deserves to be called "divine."
To break it, an opponent would need at least three times the Spiritual Energy of the person using it.
Leo couldn’t understand why they were both so shocked. He just asked.
"Hall Master Rowan, so did I pass the test?"
"You passed, of course. Wait here a moment. I need to bring what Senior Corvin asked for."
Rowan turned and left. But his face still wasn’t normal.
Mira stared at Leo like he was a monster.
"Little brother, tell me the truth. What skill did you use to push back my Lightning Thrust?"
Leo shook his head. "No, no! I only used my body’s strength!"
"You broke my Lightning Thrust with just your body’s strength?"
Mira’s voice rose without her noticing.
She had no idea how sharp Leo’s attacks had become.
The torture in the Owl-Ants’ cave over the past year hadn’t been wasted. On top of that, he had soaked in the hot pool. The twelve channels of his Spiritual Energy had improved, and the impurities had been cleaned out.
After a little while, Rowan came back. He handed Leo two things.
One was a round badge carved with a sword and shield. The other was a golden-yellow gem shaped like an egg.
"This is your Standard Knight badge. There’s one star on it, which shows you’re first rank. Once all the stars are filled, you can take the next test."
"And this is the Awakening Stone. This is what Senior Corvin asked me to give you. Keep it safe."
"Thank you."
Leo took both items and saluted Rowan with respect.
"Should I send Mimi with you to the gate of Moonhaven Hall?" Rowan asked.
Leo shook his head. "No. Master gave me another task. I have to hurry."
Rowan didn’t insist. He told Mira to walk Leo straight to the door.
Right before leaving, Leo asked Mira, "Big Sister Mira, how do I get to the Adventurers Guild?"
"It’s not far," Mira said. "Go ahead and turn right. After about one kilometer, you’ll reach a crossroads. Turn left there."
"Thank you, big sister. It was nice meeting you. I have to go now. Hall Master Rowan, goodbye."
Leo said goodbye to both of them and walked off along the road Mira had pointed out.
Watching him go, Mira couldn’t hold it in.
"Uncle Rowan, where did this kid come from? It’s impossible to find talent like this at his age in our Knight Temple! And how did he learn Divine Obstruction? Who is his master?"
Rowan sighed and shook his head.
"I can’t tell you yet. Just know this. He learned Divine Obstruction, and it was allowed by our Temple’s own rules."
"I think Moonhaven Hall won’t stay unknown in the future."
"Mimi, did you see? You’re not the only genius in this world! Practice seriously. Otherwise, in four years, you won’t even be chosen for the Alliance Magical Beast Hunt."
Mira nodded quietly.
"I wonder when I’ll see my cute little brother again."
Rowan smiled.
"One thing I can tell you. In two years, he’ll be back. And he’ll stay here at least until the Alliance Magical Beast Hunt."
Following Mira’s directions, Leo soon reached his second destination. The Adventurers Guild.
Compared to this, the Knight Temple felt very quiet. Chaos filled the area around the guild.
Countless people came and went. People in every kind of clothing could be seen.
Leo’s eyes lit up. He had found the place he was looking for.
Not far to the left, there was a counter. That was where assignments were given out. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
By luck, someone was standing at the counter. Leo walked toward it.
A girl of twenty or twenty-two was sitting there.
"Big sister, I’d like to take a mission."
"Huh?"
The girl at the counter saw that the child in front of her was only a head taller than the counter. And she couldn’t help being drawn in by his beautiful face.
Just then, a rough voice rang out nearby.
"Hahaha! Our Adventurers Guild really lets anyone in! This tiny thing came running to ask for a mission. What a joke!"
Leo turned his head.
A big, muscular man with a full beard stood there. He was laughing, and staring at Leo with contempt.
Leo frowned. He didn’t understand why this man was picking on him.
He turned back and said again, "Big sister, I’d like a mission."
The counter girl’s curiosity grew.
"Little brother, what kind of mission do you want?"
Before Leo could answer, that loud voice rang out again.
"Little brother? No way, that’s clearly a little sister! Little sister, want Uncle Bram to buy you a yummy lollipop? Haha!"
Laughter rippled through the crowd around them.
Leo frowned deeper. He looked at the girl and said,
"I want a second-stage mission. The best one is where I can hunt Magical Beasts."
But the girl’s answer was not what he wanted to hear.
She said awkwardly, "Little brother, that might not work. To take a second-stage mission, you must be at the second stage in some path."
"Then run home quickly and drink your mama’s milk!"
That voice again.
"Or maybe you don’t even know if your mama still has any milk left? If she does, let me have a couple of sips too! Looking at your face, your mama must be quite a beauty. And if you have a big sister, even better!"
Leo’s hands froze.
It was that same voice.
The moment he heard it again, his face turned ice cold.
The air around him changed. The noisy guild seemed to go quiet.
He turned very slowly toward Bram.
"Say that again," Leo said softly. "About my Mama."