Chapter 21: The Earth Shield Skill Feels a Sense of Danger

The next day.

Lin Mo rolled over half-asleep, his hand instinctively reaching out to the side.

“Hm?”

Lin Mo slowly opened his eyes and saw a delicate, lovely face.

The young woman in a black-and-white lace maid outfit stood beside the bed, holding a cup of warm milk.

Seeing Lin Mo awake, she leaned forward slightly.

“Young Master, you’re awake~”

The maid’s voice was soft as silk, “You were so exhausted last night, you slept straight through until now. Have some milk to replenish your strength?”

Lin Mo sat up, took the milk, and drank it down in one gulp, then automatically opened his status panel.

【Name: Lin Mo】

【Class: Mage】

【Level: Lv.10 (8%)】

“Whoa, really level 10?”

Is this what it feels like to just lie around?

While others grind monsters to death, I sleep and level up without lifting a finger.

Lin Mo glanced around and noticed only his personal maid was present. He asked curiously:

“Where is everyone else?”

The maid took the empty cup and replied softly:

“Young Master, about an hour ago, Captain Hu and the others stopped luring monsters.”

“Because you slept so deeply, the monsters we pulled over didn’t react at all.”

“Ye Captain worried about your safety and didn’t want to disturb your rest, so he ordered them to halt. Now some are guarding outside, others are on rotation rest.”

“Oh, I see.”

So that’s how it was.

Lin Mo nodded after hearing this.

Looks like Little Fireball also collapsed from exhaustion.

At that moment,

Ye Hongyu arrived with Hu and Shi Tou.

All three clearly looked tired, faint red veins visible beneath their eyes.

“Good morning, Young Master!”

“Morning, everyone. You’ve worked hard.”

Lin Mo stretched, got off the bed, and asked, “I slept so hard last night—didn’t I cause you any trouble?”

“No way! Young Master was in deep meditation!”

Hu grinned with a simple, earnest look:

“Maintaining such precise kill efficiency even while sound asleep, for half the night—you’re practically a god!”

Lin Mo chuckled awkwardly and didn’t respond.

“Young Master, shall we keep leveling up?”

Ye Hongyu glanced at the special troops standing by and asked, “If you want to continue, I’ll have them start luring monsters right away.”

Lin Mo looked at his skill bar.

【Fireball Skill Status: Sound Asleep (Drooling)】

The main DPS is offline—who’s going to level now?

Manually casting fireballs myself?

Don’t make me laugh.

I’d rather lie in bed and play ranked matches.

“Forget it, Sister Ye. Let’s not level for now.”

Lin Mo waved his hand and yawned, “Just woke up, head’s still fuzzy. Need a break to clear my mind.”

“Alright, we’ll follow Young Master’s lead.”

Ye Hongyu nodded.

At that moment, Shi Tou, standing nearby, suddenly asked curiously:

“Young Master, since you’ve reached level 10, can you now learn your second basic skill? Yesterday, Commander said you wanted to learn a soil-based skill?”

Hearing this, Lin Mo remembered.

Indeed, level 10 allowed him to learn another basic skill.

“Right, survival comes first.”

Lin Mo pulled out the basic skill book for 【Earth Shield】 that Su Wan had given him yesterday.

Seeing this, Hu immediately spoke up:

“Young Master, you picked the perfect skill—not just for survival, but Shi Tou is the only S-rank elemental affinity mage in our special squad.”

As he spoke, Hu elbowed Shi Tou.

“And he’s a soil affinity! When it comes to understanding soil skills, in Jianghai City, Shi Tou’s second, no one dares claim first!”

Shi Tou shook his hands frantically:

“Hu Brother, don’t exaggerate! Before Young Master, I wouldn’t dare call myself S-rank…”

“Young Master is a micro-control master! I’ve seen his Fireball technique—he’s far more refined than I am after over a decade of practicing Earth Shield!”

“I’m just… just a little experienced, a little…”

Though he spoke humbly, the confidence in Shi Tou’s eyes was unmistakable.

As an S-rank soil affinity mage, his perception of earth elements and his ability to construct defensive skills were Tianfu beyond ordinary reach.

“Enough with the modesty, Brother Shi.”

Lin Mo smiled and patted the skill book. “Since you’re the expert, once I learn it, I’ll need your guidance.”

“I’m not worthy! Not worthy! Young Master, just try it—any questions, I’ll answer without holding back!” Shi Tou was flattered.

Lin Mo didn’t delay.

This skill was about his life—he wanted it learned as soon as possible.

“Use.”

As Lin Mo willed it,

the skill book dissolved into glowing particles and flowed into his forehead.

【You have learned basic skill: Earth Shield (Lv.1)】

【Earth Shield: Summon a soil-element shield to block physical and magical damage from the front.】

Lin Mo didn’t care much about the skill’s effects.

He cared whether Earth Shield could talk.

He tentatively called out inwardly:

“Little Soil? You there?”

“Anyone? Hello?”

“Hello? Moshi moshi?”

“…”

The Earth Shield icon on his skill bar remained utterly still.

No way.

Lin Mo frowned slightly.

Was Little Fireball really the only special one?

Or perhaps…

This skill was mute?

Seeing Lin Mo stare blankly after learning the skill, Shi Tou couldn’t help asking:

“Young Master? How’s it feel?”

Shi Tou spoke like a seasoned veteran, patiently explaining:

“The hardest part for soil mages is communicating with earth elements.”

“Fire elements are volatile and eager—they ignite at the slightest touch.”

“But earth elements are calm and steady. Mastering soil skills demands immense patience…”

“It’s normal you feel nothing yet, since you’re just starting.”

Lin Mo let it go—he couldn’t ignore someone giving him advice right in front of him.

“Ohhh… I see. Thanks for the lesson, Brother Shi.”

Seeing Lin Mo’s humble attitude, Shi Tou’s sense of accomplishment swelled.

He grinned and pointed to the empty space before Lin Mo:

“Young Master, why not try casting 【Earth Shield】 right here? I’ll watch and give feedback.”

“Alright, let’s try.”

Lin Mo nodded and stood up.

Hum——

As the skill was activated, the surrounding air trembled slightly.

A faint yellow-brown aura appeared around Lin Mo, then coalesced into a semi-transparent earth-element shield, floating before him.

It looked… as if a breeze could knock it apart.

Ah Hu and Ye Hongyu exchanged a glance.

Without elemental affinity, just forming the shield on first attempt was already impressive—as for strength… don’t expect much.

Shi Tou, however, took responsibility seriously—he stepped forward two paces and tapped on it.

“Hmm… Young Master, for a first attempt, forming the shield already puts you ahead of over 90% of newcomers.”

Though he said that, what Shi Tou really meant was: for a blank-slate mage with no elemental affinity, producing this result was already quite good.

But after all, he was the Young Master—words had to be softened.

“Still…”

Shi Tou shifted tone and began instructing:

“The structure here is still too loose, Young Master. Try calming your mind—don’t think about defense, just feel the earth beneath your feet.”

“Imagine pulling up the rocks and soil beneath you, compressing and stacking them, filling this shield with them.”

As he spoke, Shi Tou gestured and guided with his mental energy:

“Come on, Young Master, follow my rhythm—breathe deeply… feel that weight…”

Lin Mo nodded, closed his eyes, and followed Shi Tou’s guidance.

Though he lacked elemental affinity, under Shi Tou’s mental guidance, the thin shield began to change.

This was also his first fully autonomous skill release.

Hum——

The shield’s color visibly darkened.

Though it still didn’t look particularly strong, at least it now looked like a real shield.

“Yes! That’s it!”

Shi Tou’s eyes lit up; he couldn’t help clapping in approval:

“Young Master, remember this feeling—this shield’s current thickness can easily withstand a basic fireball spell of the same level!”

Shi Tou, eager to test it, suggested:

“Young Master, let’s test its actual defense—I’ll strike it with a basic fireball.”

Hearing he was about to be hit, Ye Hongyu frowned slightly: “Shi Tou, he just learned this—already testing it?”

“Miss Ye, rest assured—I’ve got control. Just a tiny fireball. With this shield’s thickness, it’ll hold easily.”

Shi Tou patted his chest, confidently assuring her.

Seeing his certainty, Ye Hongyu finally nodded.

After all, Shi Tou was a seasoned veteran mage—he had this much control.

Then, Ye Hongyu backed away a few steps with Ah Hu.

Shi Tou also retreated to a position ten meters away.

Huh——

In his palm, a ball of orange-red flame instantly flared up.

The fireball was indeed small—smaller than Lin Mo’s previous ones.

Yet.

At the very moment the flame appeared,

The previously unresponsive 【Earth Shield】 icon suddenly trembled.

【The “Earth Shield” sensed a threat.】

【The “Earth Shield” let out a pig-like scream: No! Danger! Don’t come closer!】