Chapter 4: Explosive Shield! An Invitation from an S-Class Hidden Profession!

【Prompt: 【Steel Shield】 has consumed 【Heavy Strike】; skill has evolved, gaining additional effects!】

A skill consuming another skill?

Luo Chenyu had only just arrived in this world, but his residual memories contained no such absurdity.

All professionals, upon awakening their profession, receive two random initial skills.

He clearly remembered 【Steel Shield】 and 【Heavy Strike】.

【Steel Shield】 is one of the most common initial skills for Defense Warriors, granting a shield that negates a portion of damage and, upon its disappearance, provides a temporary defense boost.

【Heavy Strike】 is a universal warrior skill that deals extra blunt damage and has a chance to knock back the target.

But now…

Luo Chenyu swore he had not hallucinated.

"Could this be the mandatory cheat for transmigrators?"

In an instant.

Luo Chenyu's will flickered, and his skill panel appeared, hovering before his eyes.

As expected.

Of the two original initial skills, only 【Steel Shield】 remained, lonely on the skill panel.

【Steel Shield】: Evolved Active Skill, Damage-Absorbing Shield, capable of absorbing up to ten times the user's Constitution in damage; upon shield disappearance, increases Defense by 30% for 10 seconds.

Duration: 10S!

Cooldown: 10S!

A "plain" skill description.

But…

The following description left Luo Chenyu stunned.

Additional Effect: Upon shield disappearance, deals Heavy Strike damage to surrounding targets proportional to the shield's value; if Strength exceeds the target's, it guarantees a knockdown.

What the hell is this?

A shield-based defensive skill had become a devastating AoE skill with crowd control.

Luo Chenyu knew that on Blue Star.

Each profession's skills carried distinct professional traits and were strictly divided by Tier Levels.

From Tier 1 to Tier 9, and beyond—Forbidden Spells, attainable only by the legendary.

Yet his 【Steel Shield】 had no Grade classification at all.

You have to know…

【Steel Shield】, as one of the initial Defense Warrior skills, was originally only Tier 1; even its max-level LV10 effect fell far short of what he now possessed.

Outside the Three Realms, beyond the Five Elements?

"An anomaly—or the norm?"

After a moment of stunned silence, Luo Chenyu closed his skill panel; several thoughts surfaced in his mind.

But poverty limited his imagination.

During the Awakening Ceremony period, the price of initial skills was several times higher than usual.

To buy a One Tier-1 Defense Warrior skill book, the price soared to over a hundred thousand—far beyond his reach.

"The only option is to earn a high rating in the beginner's dungeon; the school will reward a rare skill book—then I can test it!"

With that decided, Luo Chenyu summoned his attribute panel.

【Luo Chenyu】

【Profession: Defense Warrior (0th Transcendence)】

【Level: LV. 1 (0.00%)】

【HP: 100】

【MP: 50】

【Strength: 10 (affects physical damage and strength checks)】

【Constitution: 10 (affects max HP, defense, and HP regeneration speed)】

【Agility: 6 (affects movement speed and bodily coordination)】

【Spirit: 10 (affects max MP, MP regeneration speed, and magical damage)】

【Skills: Steel Shield】

【Equipment: None】

【Rank: Tier 1】

"Whoa!"

Luo Chenyu, upon seeing his base attributes, sucked in a sharp breath: "Three attributes at max value—my physical stats are brutal!"

Generally speaking,

Newly awakened professionals had base attributes tied to their profession and physical condition, ranging from 1 to 10.

Even SSS hidden-class professionals never exceeded 10 points in any single attribute.

Yet he had three at max.

Terrifying indeed!

………………

The tiered lecture hall was packed with students who had completed their Awakening.

The noisy scene made Luo Chenyu frown.

He made his way to the gathering point for Class 15, found a corner seat, and had barely sat down when a crisp voice sounded beside his ear.

"Quiet guy, what class did you awaken?"

Luo Chenyu turned to look at the newcomer; the familiar face startled him slightly—the voice belonged to Facing Ye Xingtong, the top student from the neighboring elite Class Sixteen.

Her exquisite features caused Luo Chenyu to momentarily lose himself.

The reason was not that Facing Ye Xingtong was too beautiful, but because of her identity.

The two were neighbors in the same courtyard.

Two days ago, when he had just transcended, it was this very Facing Ye Xingtong who had "picked up his corpse"—when he woke, he was still in her home.

At that time, Facing Ye Xingtong held a bowl filled with pitch-black herbal decoction.

The atmosphere...

It only lacked the line: "Big Brother, drink your medicine!"

"Again, spacing out... I just don't get you!"

Facing Ye Xingtong sat down without hesitation on the empty seat beside Luo Chenyu. "Tell Sister, are you a Berserker?"

Luo Chenyu felt a vein throb on his temple—this little girl hadn't even grown her first hairs, yet she called him "Sister"—it was truly irritating.

Yet, helpless before his savior, he still had to maintain proper manners.

"Tank. What about you?"