By the time he returned to the White Lion Inn, the sun had already begun its descent toward the west.
In the inn's lobby, Aunt Martha was still standing behind her small wooden counter.
A young man wearing leather armor and carrying a short bow on his back stood before her, speaking in a low voice.
“Oh, Mr. Bai Xuan is back!”
Aunt Martha’s sharp eyes caught him immediately, and she greeted him with a wide smile.
The young adventurer turned around.
Their eyes met.
Both of them froze for a moment.
Bai Xuan recognized the face, tanned to a wheatish color by the sun; he was a member of the Hammerfall adventuring team.
His panel identified him as Kieran, the Archer.
“It’s you?”
Surprise flashed across Kieran’s face, quickly followed by a look of excitement.
“Mom, this is the one I told you about... the Healer we met at the Wazhuang Post House.”
“You two know each other?”
Aunt Martha looked from her son to Bai Xuan, her round face filled with wonder.
“The post house was being besieged by monsters, and the guards were seriously injured.”
“Mr. Bai Xuan was at the post house that day. He used healing magic to save many people, and his healing effect was incredibly strong.”
He paused, his expression becoming somewhat complicated.
“It’s just that the process was...”
Kieran then turned back to Bai Xuan.
“The captain invited you to travel back to Blackcreek Town with us that day, but unfortunately, you declined at the time.”
“To think there was such a connection!”
Aunt Martha clapped her hands together, beaming.
“Mr. Bai Xuan, my son may be young, but he’s been an adventurer in this town for a few years and knows everyone. Since you’re old acquaintances, if you ever run into any trouble, don’t hesitate to find him.”
“Of course.”
Kieran nodded in promise.
“Mr. Bai Xuan, you can rest easy staying here with my mother. In the Outer Town, as long as you mention the name ‘Hammerfall,’ most trouble won’t come knocking at your door.”
“Thank you.”
Bai Xuan could feel the weight of this goodwill.
Although he was used to being a loner, after Harvey’s threat, this “old acquaintance” connection with the Hammerfall team felt particularly precious.
After a few more pleasantries, Bai Xuan used the excuse of being tired and needing rest to head upstairs.
He closed the door behind him.
The room fell into immediate silence.
Bai Xuan leaned his back against the door, closing his eyes to listen for a moment. There were no footsteps in the hallway, only the faint clatter of Aunt Martha tidying dishes downstairs.
He let out a long breath.
The chilling sensation from the Inner Town still seemed to cling to his skin, and Harvey’s gaze felt like a needle pricking the back of his neck.
Bai Xuan leaned his coarse wooden staff and the cloth-wrapped Goldsand Iron rod against the corner of the wall.
Then he sat on the edge of the bed. He didn't rush to check the digitalized information; instead, he closed his eyes first to feel the changes within his body.
His breathing slowed.
His consciousness sank.
A new sense of “flow” moved through his muscles and bones.
A thick, restrained power, like a deep spring surging through the earth’s veins, carried weight and a distinct trajectory.
This was the change brought by a Class.
The broadening of his life’s essence.
Bai Xuan opened his eyes, and his mind turned toward the panel that naturally surfaced:
【Bai Xuan】
【Class: Redeemer (Holy) Lv. 3 (5%)】
【HP: 380/380】
【Mana: 195/195】
【Trait: Digitalization (Consumes mental energy to present the current target's status in a digital format)】
【Active Skills】
【Holy Light Catalyst Lv. 1 (11%): Tap the wound to quickly stop bleeding and stimulate muscle healing through vibration.】
【Redemption Strike Lv. 1 (13%): A heavy, powerful blow.】
【Purifying Severance Lv. 0 (0%): Purifies persistent damage energies such as toxins, corrosion, and curses, while temporarily increasing the target’s status resistance.】
【Concussive Field Lv. 0 (0%): Erupts a circular shockwave centered on the weapon’s point of impact, forcibly knocking back enemies within range and inflicting Intimidation, Stun, and minor damage.】
【Passive Skills】
【Strength Enhancement Lv. 0 (2%)】
【Class Trait: Sacred Martial Radiance (Passive. Bidirectional link between Attack Intensity and Healing Intensity; Attack Intensity and Healing Intensity each increase the other by an additional 20%.)】
【Current Pleasure: 92, Available Draws: 4】
【Wealth: 8 gold coins, 20 silver coins, 75 copper coins】
【Items: Broken Compass that Always Points North, Simple Lighting Orb, Evil God Inverse Scale, Goldsand Iron rod, Earth Element Heart, Rock Seal, Space Ring, Kunyuan Heavy Iron, Sealing Scroll, Supply Pack, Worn Treasure Map, Emeraldshade Gold】
“Holy.”
The suffix made him pause.
Images of light blooming from his fingertips to ignite dry moss in the Valra Forest flashed through his mind.
This attribute had previously only appeared on skills, but now it had become a suffix for his Class.
This attribute was related to light and purification, and it likely had a suppressive effect on powers of a dark, filthy, or chaotic nature.
However, the specifics of how to use it would require combat verification.
What caught his attention even more was that the original line of 【Potential】 information had disappeared.
Was it that the panel could no longer measure the end of the “Redeemer” path?
Or did it mean that from the moment he took the job, the so-called potential stars had shattered, and the future depended solely on how far he could go?
Bai Xuan clenched his fist.
His trait was still Digitalization, and it was as useful as ever.
Come to think of it, this panel he used to inspect his own information was likely a product of his own trait.
His maximum HP and Mana had both increased, his body was sturdier, and his mental capacity had expanded.
But what truly formed the flesh and blood of a “Redeemer” were the two new skills.
【Purifying Severance】—a decomposition ability targeting abnormalities and erosion.
【Concussive Field】—a crowd-control ability that used raw power to overcome finesse.
Toxins and curses were no longer threats, and he now had a way to break through when surrounded.
Bai Xuan held out both hands, his will shifting slightly.
Mana from his skills surged in his palms.
On the left was the soft glow of 【Holy Light Catalyst】, warm and full of life.
On the right was the pale gold light of 【Redemption Strike】, condensed, solid, and hiding destructive power.
The two powers were vastly different in nature, yet they flowed from the same source.
Bai Xuan stared at the light in his palms.
“Sacred Martial Radiance...”
He whispered the words, his gaze sharpening.
The effect was simple and passive: 20% of his attack intensity would directly increase his additional healing intensity, while 20% of his healing intensity would directly increase his additional attack intensity.
It was a recursive loop, though since it only scaled off 20% of his “base stats,” it wasn't exactly game-breaking.
This trait was designed for a lone wolf.
It blurred the line between a warrior and a priest.
Bai Xuan withdrew his hands, and the light dissipated.
He finally had some confidence in his ability to survive out there; all that was left was a suitable weapon.
Thinking of this, his gaze fell upon the Goldsand Iron rod and the crude staff in the corner.
According to his observations over the past two days, adventurers usually carried two weapons—a primary and a secondary—mostly a longsword paired with a short sword or dagger.
Even that cat-girl had three daggers hanging at her waist.
Following conventional logic, he should prepare two weapons.
One would be a healing staff inlaid with Emeraldshade Gold to maintain his “Healer” facade.
The other would be a heavy war rod made of Kunyuan Heavy Iron or Goldsand Iron for frontal combat.
Or... a longsword?
As a primary weapon, a sword was light, easy to carry, and could be drawn quickly in battle. The weapon itself had high lethality and was suitable for various terrains and situations.
Most importantly, they looked cool!
Rate on N.U.
