Chapter 472 - 444: High Tier Profession: Berserker

Chapter 472: Chapter 444: High Tier Profession: Berserker

Inside the cabin, Roland focused his mind, setting aside all distracting thoughts. He carefully opened the ancient book, its cover adorned with a roaring beast’s head and primitive totems: the Path of Ancestral Spirits and Fury - Barbarian Initiation Rite.

The book didn’t open with ornate prose. Instead, it used direct, even crude language to explain the core of this path to power.

This path didn’t rely on external Magic Power or intricate Runes. Instead, it delved inward, awakening the power sleeping deep within one’s bloodline and primal emotions.

The key lay in two things.

Controlling Blood Qi and harnessing fury.

However, as Roland read on, his brow gradually furrowed.

This seemingly "simple and direct" path had incredibly demanding underlying requirements.

The first was to control Blood Qi, which meant precisely guiding the flow and surge of one’s own blood.

"Blood Qi is the river of life, the tide of power."

"A novice must practice Introspection in silence, perceiving their blood flowing like a gentle stream. With will alone, they can make it accelerate, stagnate, or even reverse course."

"Be warned: the surging of your blood is tied to the explosive power of your muscles, but also to the depletion of your very life force. Improper control will, at best, damage your channels; at worst, it will drain your lifeblood, leaving you withered and gaunt..."

This wasn’t just a simple rush of blood to the head. It required a form of will akin to "Introspection" to precisely control one’s blood, accelerating it through specific channels at specific moments to unleash terrifying physical power.

Furthermore, one had to be able to quickly calm the surge after an outburst to avoid causing irreversible damage to oneself.

This level of fine-tuned control over the inner workings of one’s own body was far more difficult than the basic Knight training of strengthening muscles and bones through fixed routines. It was more like dancing on a knife’s edge; a single misstep could cause the power to turn on its user.

The second was to control one’s emotions, specifically to ignite and harness a destructive "fury."

"Fury is the Heart-Burning Flame, the edge that shatters the enemy."

"It is not the roar of a madman who has lost his senses, but a rage that incinerates all things, ignited with will as the furnace and emotion as the fuel..."

"One must maintain a sliver of clarity amidst the overwhelming fury, guiding this fierce flame to scorch your foes, not to incinerate your own sanity."

"Those who lose themselves to the fury will eventually become nothing more than beasts of pure Destruction..."

This required the practitioner to actively enter a state of extreme anger to stimulate their latent power, all while holding fast to the lighthouse of reason within this emotional storm.

It was tantamount to steering a small skiff through a tempest, needing to borrow the power of the wind and waves to advance while ensuring you weren’t devoured by them.

Finding the balance point between ignition and control, maintaining clarity in the midst of a rampage—the difficulty and danger were in no way inferior to mastering Blood Qi.

Closing the book, Roland’s eyes glinted with contemplation.

This initiation method abandoned the reliance most Professions had on "techniques" and "knowledge," instead pursuing the mastery and unearthing of "instinct" and "internal power."

The barrier to entry seemed extremely low, as if anyone with a strong physique and a firm will could attempt it.

But the required level of precise control over one’s own Life Energy and extreme emotions was likely no less difficult than any profound Breathing Technique or Meditation Technique.

But for Roland, these seemingly rigorous requirements were not entirely insurmountable obstacles.

First was the matter of guiding his Blood Qi.

Roland wasn’t entirely without experience in this area.

The Trait he’d obtained from the Warrior Profession, [Fermented Battle Intent], produced a strikingly similar effect when activated. The sensation of his blood accelerating and power surging through him was much like the state of "channeling Blood Qi" described in the book.

The only difference was that one was an instinctive, relatively crude activation, while the other required precise guidance and control via his will.

’Perhaps I can start from here...’

Having made up his mind, he no longer hesitated. He stood still in the quiet cabin, took a deep breath, and activated [Fermented Battle Intent].

The familiar burning sensation immediately erupted from his heart as if an invisible fuse had been lit. His blood flow sped up noticeably, and a sense of power began to fill his limbs.

But unlike before, this time Roland didn’t let this surging power run its course. Instead, he immediately focused his entire consciousness inward. Following the method described in the Path of Ancestral Spirits and Fury, he tried to use his will to perceive and influence the river of life that seemed to be roaring through his veins.

It wasn’t easy at first.

The Fermented Battle Intent was like an untamed horse, dragging his Blood Qi on a rampage. The threads of his will tried to ensnare it, only to be snapped again and again.

But Roland’s current Spiritual Attribute was far greater than before.

He held his breath and focused, constantly adjusting. He started using the instinctive impulse from [Fermented Battle Intent] as a "magnifying glass" and "booster" to perceive his Blood Qi, rather than an opposing force to be subdued.

He stopped trying to forcefully "rein in" this wild horse. Instead, he learned to feel its galloping rhythm and understand the direction of its power.

He then tried to use his tenacious will to gently nudge its direction, guiding the wild torrent along specific, more efficient pathways.

Time slipped by in a state of extreme concentration. Gradually, a subtle change began to occur.

The once chaotic sensations of heat and power began to clarify within his perception. It was as if his intangible blood had transformed into a warm current that could be "touched" and "guided."

He carefully experimented, making the current accelerate in his right arm, then guiding it to gather in his legs...

The process was still unrefined, with a slight lag between the command of his will and his body’s actual response, but he was on the right track. The basic framework of control was being established.

An unknown amount of time passed. Then, Roland once again succeeded in precisely guiding a surge of accelerated Blood Qi to his fist. He could clearly feel the explosive power it contained—far beyond normal—and was able to hold it steady an instant before it erupted, without causing himself any discomfort...

A line of golden text materialized in his vision.

[Skill Mastered: Blood Qi Surge, Current Level: Lv.1]

’I did it!’

Looking at the golden text that appeared before him, Roland let out a long sigh of relief, an irrepressible joy welling up in his heart.

He carefully savored the subtle changes brought by his new Skill, [Blood Qi Surge].

With a mere thought, a warm power answered his call, obediently accelerating through specific channels in his body. It brought with it the promise of explosive power far beyond the norm, yet it was as easy to command as his own limbs, with no lag or backlash when he unleashed or retracted it.

This precise command over his own Life Energy gave him an unprecedented sense of control and power.

Just as he was immersing himself in this marvelous new experience, a series of even more dazzling golden text slowly materialized in his vision.

[Detection complete. Host has learned the core Skill ’Blood Qi Surge’. High Tier Profession: Berserker can now be unlocked.]

[Requirements: 25 Power, 22 Constitution, 4 Spirit, Level 3 Blood Qi Surge, 3/3 Full Level Heavy Weapon Skills, 0/1 Full Level Unarmed Combat Skill, 2/2 Full Level Throwing Weapon Skills, 1/3 Full Level Body Tempering Technique/Body Refining Technique; personally kill 0/100 hostile targets while ’Blood Qi Surge’ is active.]

’High Tier Profession... Berserker?’

Although it wasn’t the Extraordinary Profession, [Barbarian], that he had anticipated, Roland didn’t feel particularly disappointed.

He carefully examined the shimmering golden initiation requirements, his thoughts racing.

The Attribute requirements were no issue; he had long since surpassed the standards.

Aside from needing to raise [Blood Qi Surge] to Level Three and complete the kill requirement, the only things he lacked were one Full Level unarmed combat skill and three Full Level Body Tempering or Body Refining Techniques.

In the past, he would have had to spend a great deal of time searching for forgotten lineages or seeking out renowned masters.

But now...

Watching the golden text gradually fade, Roland unhesitatingly stepped back through the temporary Space Gate opened by the Secret Imprisonment Dice and began to search rapidly through the shelves laden with ancient knowledge.

Tomes on unarmed combat techniques were not hard to find. In just a few moments, he found several volumes titled Essentials of Northern Martial Arts, Stone-Breaking Forger’s Hand, and Flowing Shadow Killing Skill.

Finding Body Tempering and Body Refining Techniques, however, took some effort.

These ancient methods, which focused on tempering the body’s foundation and unlocking its physical potential, seemed to have been undervalued during the "Crystal Era," a time when Magic and Arcane Magic were highly developed. They were classified as relatively primitive and arduous paths.

He spent a considerable amount of time sifting through a pile of books focused on Energy manipulation and other skills before he finally found three tomes that met the requirements: Hundred Refinements Resilient Skin Technique, Boiling Blood and Forging Bone Chapter, and Mountain Breathing Body Refining Skill.

With Roland’s current combat prowess and body control, mastering those few unarmed combat skills took only a few moments.

In contrast, the three Body Tempering and Body Refining Techniques, in addition to specific breathing patterns, postures, and guidance of will, also required external materials for medicinal baths, ointments, or ingestion.

As Roland quickly skimmed through the books, he jotted down the required materials and a summary of the steps in his notebook.

The ingredients sounded rather primitive, but they weren’t extinct in this era. He had at least heard of a few of them during his time in the Black Water Territory.

It shouldn’t be too difficult to gather them once his current business was concluded.

After tucking the notebook into his pouch, Roland’s train of thought continued unabated.

He thought back on the various Professions he’d acquired since his transmigration and gradually realized that many of them, while seemingly independent, were actually linked by a subtle but coherent thread.

For example, from [Groom] to [Knight’s Attendant], then to [Apprentice Knight], and finally to [Knight].

From [Blacksmith Apprentice] to [Blacksmith], then to [Enchanter], and the recently triggered [Mechanical Artisan].

In these sequences, the Skills required by the prerequisite Professions—such as Riding, Maintenance, Basic Forging, and Rune Recognition—were all cornerstones for the subsequent High Tier Professions.

And now, the [Berserker] Profession explicitly required mastering three Full Level Body Tempering or Body Refining Techniques...

This was a requirement that had never appeared in any Profession path other than [Warrior].

’Does this mean that every powerful High Tier, or even Extraordinary Profession, has a "prerequisite sequence" below it, composed of several Low Tier Professions designed to lay a solid foundation?’

’But...’

Roland stroked his chin, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

’It seems that taking on a Profession doesn’t strictly require having its prerequisites. For example, there was [Wanderer]...’

An even bolder thought surfaced in his mind.

’Does that mean that as long as I can fulfill the requirements, I might... be able to skip the High Tier Profession, [Berserker], for now? I could always take it later after meeting its conditions, and instead directly trigger and take on the true Extraordinary Profession, [Barbarian]?’

After all, it was a no-brainer. The Attribute Bonuses and exclusive Traits granted by a High Tier Profession couldn’t possibly compare to those of an Extraordinary Profession.

At this thought, Roland refocused his attention. After putting away his notes on the Body Refining Techniques, his gaze returned to the Path of Ancestral Spirits and Fury.

He began to delve into the second, and more perilous, requirement for becoming a [Barbarian].

To master his emotions and harness the heart-burning, bone-gnawing fury.