Adventurer of Many Professions

When the panel confirmed his awakening as a 'Swordsman', Raymond felt a flood of enlightenment surge through his mind. It was as if years of knowledge and skill had been poured directly into his consciousness.

Without even thinking, he shifted his grip, his two hands releasing the sword as he seamlessly transitioned to wielding it with one. To his surprise, it felt even easier than before. The blade moved faster, lighter, as though it had become an extension of his arm.

'This is what it means to be a Swordsman.'

Raymond grinned as the realization hit him. Swordsmen weren't just fighters; they were masters of the blade. No matter the type of sword, once it was in their hands, they could wield it with unparalleled precision and grace. They would instantly understand the weapon's characteristics and discover the most effective way to use it.

While warriors might be proficient with a longsword, they were generalists. A warrior could pick up any melee weapon and wield it with competence, but only to a certain level. A swordsman, in contrast, specialized. Their mastery went far beyond proficiency, honing their skill to an art form.

Raymond swung his sword again, adjusting his posture as if guided by instinct. The blade no longer felt like a heavy object being swung but instead moved with a kind of effortless rhythm, almost as if it were dancing.

He couldn't help but scoff at his earlier attempts. His two-handed swings had been clumsy, inefficient, wasting both strength and speed. But now? Now he swung the blade with one hand, and it was faster, more precise, and far less exhausting.

'This is what sets a Swordsman apart, the speed, the skill, the mastery.'

Even the strongest warrior, bulky and powerful, couldn't match the finesse and agility Raymond now commanded.

With a sudden burst of energy, he swung the sword in rapid succession, the blade slicing the air so cleanly it began to hum, a sharp, resonant sound like the sword itself was alive.

Raymond finally stopped, letting out a long breath. Sweat dripped from his brow, but his eyes burned with excitement. He couldn't contain the grin spreading across his face.

"A Swordsman truly is a master of the blade. With this awakening, my combat ability has improved by several levels!"

He clenched his fist around the hilt, imagining the possibilities. Paired with the raw power of a warrior's strength, his flexibility as a fighter, and his sharp combat instincts, Raymond felt unstoppable. In close combat, without relying on special skills, few opponents could hope to challenge him now.

His confidence soared. "Tomorrow's promotion mission? No problem. I'll crush it."

Satisfied, Raymond finally set the sword down. "Now, lets sleep," he muttered, a smile still lingering as he closed his eyes.

----

The next morning, after breakfast, Raymond strapped on his leather armor, secured his long sword to his back, and prepared to head out.

"Raymond, remember to be careful!" Arya called out, concern etched across her face. "If the task seems too difficult, don't hesitate to back out. Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

Raymond turned and flashed her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I won't. I'll be fine."

With a wave goodbye, he stepped outside, orienting himself toward Bailanyun Street, where he needed to meet Sarifi.

When Raymond arrived at the intersection, he found Sarifi already there, dressed in her magician's robe, her arms crossed and an impatient look on her face.

"Finally!" she huffed as he approached. "What took you so long?"

"Why the rush?" Raymond asked casually, giving her a teasing glance. A thought struck him, and he smirked. "Or… are you just that eager to do this mission with me?"

Sarifi didn't take the bait. She narrowed her eyes and glared at him. "Don't flatter yourself. Do you think I'd fall for that nonsense?"

She pointed a finger at him and continued, "I told you to hurry because we still need to swing by the temple to pick up Lorene. If you keep dragging your feet like this, we'll waste half the day. So quit being so full of yourself and move it!"

With that, she spun on her heel and marched off, not waiting for his reply.

Raymond scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed. 'Looks like she's really moved past her tsundere phase.' He chuckled to himself but made a mental note to avoid teasing her unnecessarily in the future. Still, as he watched her retreating figure, he couldn't help but miss her old reactions.

What he didn't notice was the faint blush creeping across Sarifi's face as she walked away.

---

Soon, they arrived at the temple.

The area was bustling with morning worshippers, all coming to pray to the goddess. People moved in and out of the grand entrance in a constant flow.

As Raymond and Sarifi approached, someone waved to them from the temple steps. They squinted to get a better look and saw Lorene standing there, her priest's uniform pristine and a staff in hand.

"Raymond! Sarifi!" she called out before trotting down to meet them.

"Lorene, you're ready already?" Sarifi asked, her expression lighting up with excitement as Lorene drew near.

"Yes!" Lorene nodded, her cheeks flushed slightly, though it wasn't clear whether it was from the effort of running or some lingering shyness.

Lorene smiled warmly and explained, "I finished my training yesterday and immediately applied to leave the temple. Once I got approval, I planned to come find you, but I didn't expect you to be here already!"

"That's perfect timing!" Sylph beamed. "Raymond and I were just on our way to see if you could come out now. Since you can, let's go!"

It was clear that Sylph and Lorene had grown closer recently. Sylph had been visiting the temple often to see her, and their friendship had noticeably deepened.

"Yeah!" Lorene nodded enthusiastically before turning to Raymond, silently seeking his input.

Raymond gave her a reassuring smile and a slight nod. "Let's go."

And with that, the three of them set off together toward the Adventurer's Guild.

---

As they walked, Raymond's attention was drawn to the magic wand in Lorene's hand. His brow furrowed slightly as he studied it. The craftsmanship was remarkable, easily on par with his own sword. The emerald set at the top, though smaller than the sapphire on Sylph's wand, looked equally valuable.

'Does the temple give such high-quality magic wands to all their priests when they leave?' he wondered.

Noticing his gaze, Lorene tilted her head and asked hesitantly, "Raymond… is something wrong?"

"Oh, no; it's just…" He hesitated before voicing his thoughts. "That magic wand of yours… is it a standard issue from the temple?"

"Ah, no, not exactly," Lorene replied, glancing down at her wand with a modest smile. "The temple does provide us with wands, but they're not usually this good. This one belonged to a senior priest who no longer needed it. After I completed my training, she gave it to me as a reward."

Lorene hesitated for a moment before adding, "She used to be a 'Bronze Level' adventurer, actually."

"Ah, I see." Raymond nodded, understanding now why the wand seemed so exceptional.

As they continued, his gaze shifted to Sylph's wand. Even though he had awakened as a craftsman and gained a deeper understanding of weaponry, he couldn't discern the true nature of her wand. 'There's something special about it,' he thought to himself.

However, Sylph didn't seem inclined to explain the origins or significance of her wand, and Raymond decided not to pry. Everyone had their secrets, and even among teammates, there were boundaries that shouldn't be crossed.

He thought briefly about his own secret, the fact that he was a multi-class professional. 'It's best to keep some things to myself for now.'

Just then, Sylph broke the silence, glancing at Raymond. "Hey, Raymond, why don't you tell Lorene about… you know, 'your' situation?"

Raymond blinked, confused for a moment, before quickly realizing what she meant. After a brief pause to consider, he replied, "Let's save that for later. Once we're done at the guild and Lorene finishes her registration, we'll talk about it when we're alone."

"Fine," Sylph said with a dramatic sigh, though her tone turned playful. "But I get to explain it! Don't try to outshine me!"

Raymond shook his head, exasperated but amused. "Alright, alright. I'll leave it to you."

Lorene watched the exchange curiously but decided not to press the matter when she heard them mention waiting until they were alone. Still, the growing mystery piqued her interest.

The three of them quickened their pace, eager to reach the guild and move forward with the day's plans.