Chapter 91: Category

Mist Forest.

"Rustle."

It was the faint sound of a breeze brushing through the canopy.

The leaf stalks trembled, and the yellowing leaves with curled, worm-eaten edges detached from the branches.

They spiraled downward.

Just like the millions of their kind on the ground, after three seconds, they would become part of the yellow-brown leaf carpet of the entire forest.

Then, over the course of four to five months, they would gradually wither and rot, eventually becoming the faint nutrients that nourished the growth of a clump of weeds.

*Whoosh—*

A gust of wind, not natural but more fierce and sharp, interrupted this process.

The withered leaves, already abandoned by the trees due to the loss of life force, were shattered by the biting wind almost in an instant.

They turned into tiny, fragile leaf scraps, drifting and dancing in the air like dust.

They fell onto the rough bark of the nearby oak tree, covered in textures, and landed on the fresh, crisp stems and leaves on the ground.

They also followed the turbulent airflow, sticking to his pitch-black, messy, and fine hair tips.

"Clatter!"

He shook his body hard, shaking off the leaf scraps and grass debris covering his clothes and hair.

Xia Nan turned his head and looked behind him.

As if some kind of wild beast had charged through,

the forest, filled with dense grass and tough shrubs, was left with a ten-foot-long, juice-splattered crushing trail.

It looked like the effect was pretty good.

Yet, Xia Nan couldn't help but frown, not satisfied.

What he was practicing at the moment was naturally the combat technique taught to him by the Barbarian Fugang two days ago—

【Tooth Hunt】.

The effect the other had demonstrated that day was outrageously absurd, almost collapsing the entire cave, and the dozens of Goblins and their Hobgoblin leader were smashed to pieces like bowling pins.

But in reality, the positioning of 【Tooth Hunt】 itself was actually more similar to a kind of "charge" or "displacement" technique.

Whether to add attack attributes during the use of the combat technique was entirely up to the caster.

As for the attack effect he had seen at the time, which spread through the tunnel like ice snakes and even carried a bit of mental deterrence,

Xia Nan was more inclined to believe it was the effect and power brought by the Barbarian's own class.

And being able to smash monsters into powder, perhaps 【Tooth Hunt】 provided a partial bonus to speed and kinetic energy, but ultimately, it was because of the Barbarian's exaggerated body strength, which was comparable to metal and stone.

Although he was far from being "tricked," Xia Nan had been practicing for these past few days, yet he always had the illusion of "seller's show" versus "buyer's show."

He didn't know when he would be able to reach the "lawnmower" level of the other.

Fortunately, it was a combat technique that was practically useful and real.

Unlike the many suspected combat technique books he had bought in the town's grocery store before, which provided a terrible training experience of "robbing Peter to pay Paul" and constantly plugging holes,

the practice of 【Tooth Hunt】, just like 【Spinning Slash】 in the past, gave him a solid feeling of moving forward steadily step by step, making a small amount of progress every day.

Even if some problems arose during the process, after spending time and energy to solve them and forming muscle memory, he would not make the same mistakes again.

Actually learning it even made him feel vaguely at ease.

And the specific training methods, as well as some of the surface principles of the combat technique, also became clear as he gradually became familiar with them.

Through high-intensity training, he coordinated the muscle groups of his legs, waist, abdomen, and spine to release the power stored within them in an extremely short time.

Adjusting step frequency, controlling speed...

Then, combined with a special breathing method, he improved his force-exertion technique and timing, adjusting his entire body's skeletal center of gravity to a range suitable for the combat technique's activation.

To put it more colloquially, as an analogy:

It was like a Winter Wolf lurking deep in the snow, staring at its prey, ready to strike.

It exploded with all its strength, pouncing forward like a spring.

The blade was its claws and fangs.

Originally from the Barbarian tribes of the Northern Highlands,

【Tooth Hunt】 was initially developed by a gifted combat master who imitated the hunting movements of those powerful predators, combined with the physical advantages of humans.

According to Fugang, practicing in snow as deep as one's calves had the best effect.

It was just that they were currently in the heart of the continent, without a suitable environment, so he had to make do.

Of course, besides the above, there was one most critical point to mastering the 【Tooth Hunt】 combat technique:

Before every training session, Xia Nan had to, with the Barbarian's help, let a certain special cold air emitted by the other seep into his body along his muscles and meridians.

—This was no longer needed after the initial entry.

Although he had seen many professional athletes use similar "ice baths" on the internet in his past life, they were usually used after strenuous exercise to relieve muscle fatigue and accelerate body recovery.

It was completely different from his own.

He didn't know the specific principles; after all, there was no precise testing equipment, and he wasn't an expert or professor in the relevant field. Being able to have a vague understanding of his current training direction was already very good.

As for the rest...

It could only be said,

don't worry about things in a fantasy world.

"Hoo..."

His chest heaved, and he let out a long breath.

In the long white mist surging from his lips and teeth, faint crystalline ice points could vaguely be seen.

He reached out and touched his waist, abdomen, and thighs; his skin temperature had returned to normal.

Knowing that the cold air had been exhausted and continuing to practice would yield little result,

Xia Nan turned around and walked toward the camp.

He had to find the Barbarian to recharge him again.

The cold wind was biting, and the howling snow gravel was like thousands of blades, cutting and scraping the man's rough and tough skin.

In the gaps between the ice rocks, the embers of charred firewood were faintly bright, and the pine resin that had burned out turned into fly ash and melted into the snow powder.

Pale broken bones pierced through the thick fur coat, and in his mouth was a thick, pungent bloody smell like rust.

"They are still here."

Under the entanglement of thorns, the collapsed totem condensed into a pale, aged, and illusory figure in the dim, white light.

"Bite the frost, death will not descend."

"Chieftain..." the burly man, paralyzed in the pool of blood, murmured in a low, hoarse voice, his wolf-skin cloak already stained scarlet.

"Let the ashes be born with the snow; the ancestral spirits protect you above the monument group, my child."

The withered fingertips that nurtured mycelium, like the halo under the winter clouds, pierced through the fur coat and lightly tapped on his chest.

"Live on, carry the name of the Frostthroat Clan."

"Fugang."

"Crackle!"

The tree branch fibers suddenly burst under the burning of the flames, making an abrupt sound.

Ripples, imperceptible to others, stirred in Fugang's ice-blue eyes, which were like cold lakes.

He raised his head and looked toward the edge of the camp.

He saw that amidst the swaying bushes, a figure carrying two swords was pulling at the surrounding thorny shrubs, struggling somewhat to break free.

Tightening the cloth bag hanging at his waist, Xia Nan greeted the other and walked into the camp.

The Barbarian before him was as usual.

Firelight reflected in his eyes; he made no redundant movements and emitted no sound.

He just sat silently by the campfire like a block of ice.

He was already used to it; two days of contact had given Xia Nan a preliminary impression of this powerful high-level professional beside him.

To be honest, if it weren't for the highly directional fur attire and the tribal-flavored surname,

he wouldn't have thought the other was a Barbarian at all.

After all, in the eyes of the world, this race, which symbolized primitiveness and ruggedness, and whose class released power based on anger and nature, had always been entangled with words like "reckless," "straightforward," and "uncouth."

Yet, Fugang beside Xia Nan at this moment was like an ice rock wrapped in anger, suppressing all intensity and restlessness beneath the chilling cold.

And if one day, when the flames flared up and melted the thick ice layer, the terrifying anger beneath it, capable of melting metal and stone, would reappear in the world.

"Finished?"

A low, thick voice came from the front.

Surprised by the other's initiative to speak, Xia Nan hurriedly drank the hot water in his mouth.

He took a deep breath, exhaled a cold mist, and pointed to the increasingly faint ice crystals in the air.

"Yeah, used it all up."

Then, it was the classic silence.

Clearly, he had started the conversation, but after he replied, he didn't speak again.

It made Xia Nan feel awkward.

But he was also used to it.

He knew the other hadn't failed to hear him or was pretending not to answer; it was purely a matter of personality.

At least when he asked the other questions related to combat techniques these past two days, Fugang taught him very carefully.

He wouldn't say he answered every question, but he could often help Xia Nan find the difficulty and solve it easily through his actions in the end.

From beginning to end, calm and taciturn, as if all the anger was covered by the frost he emitted.

Having practiced hard around the camp for a whole day, thinking of resting for a moment,

Xia Nan wasn't in a hurry to let the other replenish his cold air.

He just drew his greatsword and maintained it patiently; while carrying some hesitation and doubt, he tentatively asked:

"You saw it before, my 【Spinning Slash】... which class should it belong to?"

On the Aifala Continent, the conditions that must be met to obtain a professional level are:

Master three combat techniques corresponding to the class, and hone one of them to the "Mastered" level.

With the foundation of his predecessor and the bonuses that the system panel might bring, Xia Nan had already raised 【Spinning Slash】 to the max level.

And this meant he only needed to learn two other combat techniques to complete his advancement.

But what troubled him was that until today, he still hadn't figured out the specific category of 【Spinning Slash】.

He could only hope that Fugang, whose strength and experience clearly far exceeded ordinary professionals, could help him solve this problem.

But what he didn't expect was.

To this, Fugang just shook his head gently.

"Very difficult."

The number of combat techniques in this world was more than the snowflakes drifting in an ice storm.

Even those human "Legends" standing at the top of the pyramid could not identify the affiliation of every combat technique.

Especially for popular classes like "Warrior" and "Rogue," the combat techniques under them were countless.

—Even the Adventurer Association itself continuously recorded and updated a large number of combat techniques every year.

Even for different branches of the association, because of their different geographical locations, the common types of combat techniques on the list also changed significantly, for example:

The Adventurer Association in Shoal Islands had combat techniques that tended toward underwater combat and ranged attacks.

And the association branch in Yan Ying Cheng, because it was located in the Underdark, possessed a large number of combat techniques suitable for use in narrow terrain.

Under these circumstances, Fugang could only judge that it belonged to a basic melee class based on the characteristics of 【Spinning Slash】.

Seeming to notice the disappointment in Xia Nan's eyes.

The Barbarian looked up at the sky and suddenly stood up.

He turned and left the camp.

"Follow."

The dull voice came.

Xia Nan hurriedly followed.

【Tooth Hunt】

Although it originated from the highland tribes, the combat technique itself did not rely on "Anger," which was the core power of a Barbarian.

It was just the purest physical technique catalyzed by the harsh natural environment.

Therefore, it was like the gap where two circles overlapped.

It belonged to two basic classes simultaneously:

【Warrior】 and 【Barbarian】.

This was also one of the reasons why Fugang could decide to teach 【Tooth Hunt】 to Xia Nan while unable to confirm the affiliation of 【Spinning Slash】.

And on the other hand, the most critical point.

The reason he felt Xia Nan didn't need to worry about whether he would need to start from scratch due to choosing the wrong combat technique type.

Was...

"Crunch."

The tree branches lying on the meadow were crushed by his falling boots, making a crisp sound.

Xia Nan looked at the foul-smelling Goblin cave in front of him, whose shape and appearance seemed familiar.

The corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

"Again?"

In his heart, he wasn't actually that resistant.

He had been practicing 【Tooth Hunt】 against the air for two days, and he had learned the basic force-exertion techniques.

According to the Barbarian's path in his impression, it was indeed time to accelerate the proficiency of the combat technique through actual combat.

After all, the other also had limited time, so being a bit aggressive was normal.

But what he didn't expect was,

this time Fugang's actions were completely different from before.

Not only did he not restrain his aura in advance, letting the massive pressure from the high-level professional spread wantonly in the air,

but he also took the lead and walked in front, leading Xia Nan all the way into the cave.

Still in the tunnel at the entrance, Xia Nan had already heard the panicked and terrified screams of the Goblins deep in the cave who had sensed the uninvited guests.

Immediately after,

*Awoooo—*

A long, biting wolf howl, accompanied by a chilling cold wind, echoed between the stone walls.

Xia Nan felt goosebumps all over his body.

At the same time, those noisy and harsh screams seemed to be swallowed by the wolf howl, disappearing without a trace.

When the two walked into the open space deep in the cave, nearly thirty Goblins were already lying scattered, rolling their eyes and fainting on the ground.

In the entire field, only one Hobgoblin that looked like it had just reached adulthood remained, clutching the nail-hammer in its hand, trembling and curling up in the corner of the cave.

Xia Nan showed a strange expression.

He actually saw deep fear on the face of this ferocious monster, which lived by drinking blood, had killed countless bottom-tier adventurers, and had a naturally evil nature.

Fugang stopped, casually picked up a wooden club from the ground that had belonged to a Goblin.

It was covered in frost.

He threw it lightly toward the Hobgoblin.

*Bang—*

Ice crystals mixed with gravel burst open instantly in the dim cave.

The wooden stick was stuck firmly into the rock wall.

And the Hobgoblin's right hand, which was holding the weapon, was also severed at the root and fell to the ground.

The force was controlled just right; apart from that, it didn't suffer any other damage.

He even considerately helped Xia Nan seal the wound with frost to prevent excessive blood loss and loss of combat capability during the training process.

"Go."

He said so.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 92 =====